We are so honored to welcome Keb’ Mo’ (aka Kevin Moore) on the show for our 350th episode! After many decades of incredible music, his new solo acoustic album, The Breakdown, was written and recorded at his home studio near Nashville following open-heart surgery and personal life changes. He’s also recently released his second collaborative album with the legendary Taj Mahal.
We were blown away by Keb’ Mo’s definition of the blues: “honesty music.” There’s a lot of debate nowadays whether the blues is something that includes a formal set of requirements. Is it a genre? Is it a type of sound that’s trapped in a particular historical era? Kevin didn’t even give the time of day to any of those gatekeeper explanations. He said if the music has that honesty, has the moan and the sense of speaking to Black experience for a Black audience who understand what it’s like to struggle, that’s what the blues is.
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There’s a spectrum of humility to ego in music. Some artists use music and performance as vehicles for their own notoriety. During this interview, I was struck by how far on the opposite end of the spectrum Keb’ Mo’ falls. Kevin went from being a kid in Compton asking his parents for a guitar, knowing how much $25 meant in those days, to now being an artist sponsored by so many guitar companies. He still remembers a time when the idea of having a collection of guitars was crazy talk.
His humility during our conversation is so present. I asked Kevin, “What does success mean to you and do you think you’ve achieved it?” His answer was, “I get to keep playing and I don’t have to get a regular job.” Even after all these years and so many accolades, it’s a privilege for him to play his own original music in front of people and to be a part of this tradition.
I just wanna shout out how generous Kevin is as a conversation partner. I came into this interview nervous because he’s one of the more legendary guests that we’ve had on the show. I found myself a number of times having to sit back and receive a compliment. He’s the first to say, “That was a great question. You’re really thoughtful. You’re killing it!” So I was really lucky to interview him.
Photo Credit: Rachel Deeb
