The Kentucky Headhunters
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| The Kentucky Headhunters | ||
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| Background information | ||
| Origin |  Metcalfe County, Kentucky, USA |
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| Genre(s) | Country rock, Southern rock | |
| Years active | 1968–1982 as Itchy Brother; 1986–present as The Kentucky Headhunters |
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| Label(s) | Mercury/Polygram BNA Audium Entertainment (current) |
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| Website | www.kentuckyheadhunters.com | |
| Members | ||
| Anthony Kenney - bass, vocals (1994-present) Greg Martin - lead guitar, slide guitar, vocals (1986-present) Doug Phelps - bass, vocals (1986-1994)/lead vocals, electric guitar (1998-present) Fred Young - drums, percussion , vocals Richard Young - rhythm guitar, vocals (1986-present) |
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| Former members | ||
| Mark S. Orr - lead vocals (1994-1998) Ricky Lee Phelps - lead vocals (1986-1994) |
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The Kentucky Headhunters are an influential country rock group whose early albums were embraced by both country and rock fans, and maintain a cult following among alt-country fans to this day. One early review described their sound as "Bill Monroe meets Cream." They received a Grammy award nomination for Best New Artist in 1991 but lost to Mariah Carey.
They are essentially a southern rock group that adapted their sound to country music. Their music has crossed a number of genre boundaries, including bluegrass, blues music, hard rock, and even traditional metal.
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[edit] History
[edit] Early years: Itchy Brother
In 1968, Edmonton, Kentucky teenager Richard Young, his younger brother Fred, and their cousins Anthony Kenney and Greg Martin began performing together as Itchy Brother. The band was named after Fred Young's favorite cartoon character, from King Leonardo and his Short Subjects. They were later joined at various times by other musicians, among them lead singer Mark Orr, bass guitarist Tim Speck and organist Don Rissen. The band achieved considerable regional success in the 1970s, including at least one single: "Shotgun Effie" was released in 1973 on the King Fargo label.
Itchy Brother signed with Led Zeppelin's Swan Song Records in 1980, shortly before Zeppelin drummer John Bonham's death. They did not complete an album before Swan Song went out of business.
Itchy Brother broke up in 1982. Richard Young started writing songs for Acuff-Rose, Fred Young joined Sylvia's band, Greg Martin joined Ronnie McDowell's band, and Anthony Kenney dropped out of music.
[edit] The Ricky Lee Phelps era
Greg Martin attempted to reunite Itchy Brother in 1985; the Young brothers joined him, but Kenney declined. Martin invited Leachville, Arkansas native Doug Phelps, also a member of McDowell's band, to replace Kenney, and Doug brought his brother Ricky Lee to sing lead vocals. The newly assembled group named themselves after another group called The Headhunters, and the home state of most of the members. They began performing together the following year, playing twice monthly on the 90-minute Chitlin' Show, a radio program on WLOC in Munfordville, KY.
The Kentucky HeadHunters recorded a seven-song demo of original songs that became known as "the pink tape." Originally intended to be sold at their live shows, the pink tape came to the attention of the Nashville music community. The band met considerable resistance with record executives, since their music was still closer to rock than to anything that was playing on country radio, and they refused to be signed as a rock act. Rock-flavored albums by Steve Earle (Copperhead Road) and Hank Williams, Jr. (Wild Streak), as well as the reunion of Lynyrd Skynyrd helped to convince record executives that The Kentucky Headhunters' music was marketable. Mercury Records signed them in the summer of 1989.
Three covers of classic country songs—Bill Monroe's "Walk Softly on This Heart of Mine," Henson Cargill's "Skip a Rope," and Don Gibson's "Oh Lonesome Me"—were added to the pink tape, and the result was released as the grammy award-winning Pickin' on Nashville. The album title was inspired by the 1965 album, Chet Atkins Picks on the Beatles.
Their second release, Electric Barnyard, was less successful, but still enjoyed decent sales. They next recorded "Let's Work Together" for the Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man soundtrack.
[edit] The Mark Orr era
Doug and Ricky Lee Phelps left The Kentucky Headhunters in June 1992 to form Brother Phelps, which had one-hit wonder country success the following year with their Top 10 hit, "Let Go." Doug Phelps was replaced by Anthony Kenney, and Ricky Lee Phelps by Mark Orr on their next album, Rave On!! Although still billing themselves as The Kentucky HeadHunters, the lineup was a reunion of Itchy Brother. Mark Orr brought a stronger blues influence to the group, which led to That'll Work, an album with Chuck Berry's pianist Johnnie Johnson. The Mark Orr lineup, however, proved to be less popular.
[edit] The Doug Phelps era
Brother Phelps disbanded when Ricky Lee Phelps decided to pursue a solo career; as a result, Doug Phelps rejoined The Kentucky HeadHunters, taking over his brother's former role as lead vocalist, with Kenney still serving as the group's bassist. The new lineup has yet to regain the group's early success at country radio, although their videos remain popular at CMT and other video outlets.
The group released Stomping Grounds, their most country album to date, on the BNA music label in 1997. After that album, the group then moved to Audium Entertainment and recorded 2000's Songs From The Grass String Ranch. Richard Young suffered a heart attack on May 6, 2000, three months before the album's release. 2003's Soul, also on Audium, showed a strong rhythm-and-blues influence.
The band was approached by Sony/ATV Music Publishing's Tom Long to record Big Boss Man, the first in a series of compilations containing covers of songs from Sony's back catalog. The album was released on June 21, 2005. The next album in the series was recorded by Ricky Van Shelton.
[edit] Recent Events
The Kentucky Headhunters latest album, Flying Under the Radar, was released on June 13, 2006. It is a compilation of greatest hits, a remix and other music from the band's career. The description of the album says that Flying Under the Radar "reflects the broad musical landscape the Heads have developed over the years with plenty of Dixie-fried boogie."
2006 also saw the release of Greg Martin's long awaited self-titled Gospel blues album with Jimmy Hall, The Mighty Jeremiahs. The album features Jimmy Hall of Wet Willie and Jeff Beck fame, plus cameos by members of The Kentucky HeadHunters, Taildragger, Phil Keaggy and others.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
Pickin' on Nashvile (1989): #2 country, #41 Billboard 200; RIAA Certification: Double Platinum
Electric Barnyard (1991): #3 country, #29 Billboard 200; RIAA Certification: Gold
Rave On! (1992): #22 country, #102 Billboard 200
That'll Work (with Johnnie Johnson; 1993)
Best of The Kentucky Headhunters: Still Pickin (1994)
Stompin' Grounds (1997)
Songs From the Grass String Ranch (2000)
Soul (2003)
Big Boss Man (2005)
Flying Under the Radar (2006)
[edit] Singles
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | |||
| 1989 | "Walk Softly On This Heart of Mine" | 25 | Pickin' on Nashville |
| 1990 | "Dumas Walker" | 15 | Pickin' on Nashville |
| 1990 | "Oh Lonesome Me" | 8 | Pickin' on Nashville |
| 1990 | "Rock 'n' Roll Angel" | 23 | Pickin' On Nashville |
| 1991 | "The Ballad of Davy Crocket" | 49 | Electric Barnyard |
| 1991 | "With Body and Soul" | 56 | Electric Barnyard |
| 1991 | "Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line" | 60 | Electric Barnyard |
| 1991 | "It's Chitlin' Time" | 63 | Electric Barnyard |
| 1992 | "Let's Work Together" | Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man soundtrack | |
| 1992 | "Honky Tonk Walkin'" | 54 | Rave On!! |
| 1993 | "Blue Moon of Kentucky" | Rave On!! | |
| 1993 | "Dixie Fried" | 71 | Rave On!! |
| 1997 | "Singin' the Blues" | 70 | Stompin' Grounds |
| 2000 | "Too Much to Lose" | 66 | Songs From the Grass String Ranch |
| 2001 | "Louisianna CoCo" | Songs From the Grass String Ranch | |
| 2005 | "Big Boss Man" | Big Boss Man | |
| 2006 | "Chug-a-Lug" | Big Boss Man | |
| 2006 | "Take These Chains From My Heart" | Big Boss Man |
[edit] Awards
[edit] Academy of Country Music
Top New Vocal Duo or Group, 1989
[edit] Country Music Association
Album of the Year, Pickin' on Nashville, 1990
Vocal Group of the Year, 1990
[edit] Grammy Awards
Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, Pickin' on Nashville (1990)
