Kenny Neal

by Bill Dahl
The future of Baton Rouge swamp blues lies squarely in multi-instrumentalist Kenny Neals capable hands — the second-generation southern Louisiana bluesman is entirely cognizant of the regions venerable blues tradition and imaginative enough to steer it in fresh directions, as his albums for Alligator confirm. His dad, harpist Raful Neal, was a Baton Rouge blues mainstay whose pals included Buddy Guy and Slim Harpo (the latter handed three-year-old Kenny an old harp one day as a toy, and that was it). At age 13, Neal was playing in his fathers band, and he picked up a bass at 17 for Buddy Guy. In 1987, Neal cut his debut LP for Florida producer Bob Greenlee — a stunningly updated swamp feast initially marketed on King Snake Records as Bio on the Bayou. Alligator picked it up the following year, retitled it Big News from Baton Rouge!!, and young Neal was on his way. Neals sizzling guitar work, sturdy harp, and gravelly, aged-beyond-his-years vocals have served him well ever since. Among his numerous albums are Devil Child (1989), Bayou Blood (1992), Hoodoo Moon (1994), Blues Fallin Down Like Rain (1998), What You Got (2000), One Step Closer (2001), Easy Meeting (2003), Double Take (2004), and A Trubute to Slim Harpo and Raful Neal (2005).