Kudzu Blues (feat. Jerry Douglas)

#87 in The Need To Know Badass Blues Instrumentals Series, Kudzu Blues, features the incomparable Dobro-isms of Jerry Douglas.

When I think of Jerry Douglas I immediately think of Alison Kraus, and when I think of Alison Kraus, I think of Robert Plant, and when I think of Robert Plant, I think of Jimmy Page, and when I think of Jimmy Page, I think of unrivaled and immediately identifiable musical character, which then brings me right back to Jerry Douglas.

My dear friend, former bandmate and, incredibly gifted musician, John Deaderick, suggested we have Jerry guest on a track and was generous enough to make the introduction. Much to my surprise and pleasure Jerry said yes and then delivered what you are hopefully listening to while you're reading this. This is a long way from Alison Kraus but not so far from Jimmy Page.

Usually, I try to write a little bio about our featured soloist but check this out, it's just a few lines from Jerry's Wikipedia page: "In addition to his fourteen solo recordings, Douglas has played on more than 1,600 albums. As a sideman, he has recorded with artists as diverse as Garth Brooks, Ray Charles, Eric Clapton, Phish, Dolly Parton, Susan Ashton, Paul Simon, Mumford & Sons, Keb' Mo', Ricky Skaggs, Elvis Costello, Tommy Emmanuel, James Taylor, and Johnny Mathis, as well as performing on the O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack."

And it continues...

"As of 2021, Douglas has been nominated for thirty-two Grammy Awards, winning fourteen.
He has received the Country Music Association's "Musician of the Year" award three times, in 2002, 2005, and 2007.
Douglas is a 10-time recipient of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Dobro Player of the Year Award.
In 2004, the National Endowment for the Arts awarded Douglas a National Heritage Fellowship, which is the United States' highest honor in the folk and traditional arts."

That is some serious drop the mic shit! And then on top of that, he's a genuinely humble and generous human being.

So if you're one of the ten people in the world that aren't hip to Jerry Douglas, check this track out and then go check out a bunch more of his work. He's the Jimmy Page of Folk/Americana/Bluegrass! (or whatever the label du jour).

The backing band on this track is Oaktown Born/Nashville Ruling, Derrek Phillips, (Gloria Gaynor, Robben Ford, Charlie Hunter) on drums, and myself on rhythm guitar and bass. The track was recorded at NTA in San Bruno, CA, and The Phamily Room and The Squirrelnest in Nashville, TN. Prodigiously mixed and mastered by the Grammy-winning and extremely personable, Matt Winegar (Primus, Fantastic Negrito).