Kevin Gordon is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, poet, and

folk art Folk art covers all forms of visual art made in the context of folk culture. Definitions vary, but generally the objects have practical utility of some kind, rather than being exclusively decorative art, decorative. The makers of folk art a ...

collector from Louisiana. His songs draw from experiences growing up in the South, and have been recorded by

Levon Helm Mark Lavon "Levon" Helm (May 26, 1940 – April 19, 2012) was an American musician who achieved fame as the drummer and one of the three lead vocalists for the Band, for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. H ...

Keith Richards Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943), often referred to during the 1960s and 1970s as "Keith Richard", is an English musician and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the co-founder, guitarist, secondary vocalist, and co-princi ...

Webb Wilder John Webb McMurry (born May 19, 1954), known as Webb Wilder, is an American country, rock & roll singer, guitarist and actor. Early life McMurry was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He started playing guitar at the age of 12 and was playing ...

, and

Irma Thomas Irma Thomas ( Lee; born February 18, 1941) is an American singer from New Orleans. She is known as the "Soul Queen of New Orleans". Thomas is a contemporary of Aretha Franklin and Etta James, but never experienced their level of commercial succ ...

Biography

Early years

Gordon was raised in

West Monroe, Louisiana West Monroe is a city in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is situated on the Ouachita River, across from the neighboring city of Monroe. The two cities are often referred to as the Twin Cities of northeast Louisiana. Its population ...

, where he was exposed to blues, honky tonk and rockabilly. He started playing guitar and writing songs at age 17 or 18, and played in a punk band while in high school that performed

Ramones The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first true punk rock group. Despite achieving a limited commercial appeal in the United ...

and

Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they were one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They were responsible for ...

covers. While Gordon was attending the

University of Louisiana at Monroe The University of Louisiana Monroe (ULM) is a public university in Monroe, Louisiana. It is part of the University of Louisiana System. History ULM opened in 1931 as Ouachita Parish Junior College. Three years later it became the Northeast Cen ...

, poet

Jorie Graham Jorie Graham (; born May 9, 1950) is an American poet. The Poetry Foundation called Graham "one of the most celebrated poets of the American post-war generation." She replaced poet Seamus Heaney as Boylston Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory at ...

encouraged Gordon to apply to the

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is org ...

Writers Workshop, where he earned a master's degree in poetry. On weekends he began playing local gigs with

Bo Ramsey Bo Ramsey (born Robert Franklin Ramsey, 1951 in Burlington, Iowa, United States) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and recording producer. Career He made his debut in Williamsburg, Iowa in 1973, fronted the Mother Blues Band, and ro ...

. Gordon moved to Nashville in 1992 to work as a songwriter.

Recording career

Carnival Time

Gordon's first album was ''Carnival Time'' in 1993, initially released on cassette and later reissued on CD. Gordon is joined by Ramsey (guitars), Steve Hayes (drums), Mike Murray and Rick Cicalo (bass), Mitchell Moss (fiddle, mandolin), Dave Moore (accordion), and Al Murphy (fiddle).

Cadillac Jack's #1 Son

E Street Band The E Street Band is an American rock band, and has been musician Bruce Springsteen's primary backing band since 1972. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. For the bulk of Springsteen's recording and performing caree ...

bassist

Garry Tallent Garry Wayne Tallent (born October 27, 1949), sometimes billed as Garry W. Tallent, is an American musician and record producer, best known for being bass player and founding member of the E Street Band, Bruce Springsteen's primary backing band si ...

produced Gordon's 1997 EP ''Illinois 5 a.m.'' on the Motherlode label. Gordon and Gwil Owen co-wrote four songs for Gordon's 1998 album ''Cadillac Jack's #1 Son'' which was also produced by Tallent.

Down to the Well

Gordon's next album ''Down to the Well'' was released in 2000. Personnel included Joe McMahan (guitars, mandolin), David Jacques (bass), Paul Griffith and Bryan Owings (drums), Kevin McKendree (keyboards), and Bo Ramsey (slide guitar).

O Come Look At The Burning

Gordon recorded 2005's ''O Come Look At The Burning'' live to a 16-track tape recorder in McMahan's home. The album included covers of

Eddie Hinton Eddie Hinton (15 June 1944 – 28 July 1995) was an American songwriter and session musician, best known for his work with soul music and R&B singers. He played lead guitar for Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section from 1969 to 1971 and after leaving th ...

's "Something Heavy" and

Willie Dixon William James Dixon (July 1, 1915January 29, 1992) was an American blues musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and record producer. He was proficient in playing both the upright bass and the guitar, and sang with a distinctive voice, but he ...

's "Crazy Mixed Up World."

Gloryland

Gordon's 2012 release ''Gloryland'' was produced by Joe McMahan and supported by Scott Martin (drums), and Ryan Norris (keyboards) of Lambchop. A standout song is "Colfax" which related a childhood memory of a high school band and the KKK over 10 minutes of ever-changing music. Another highlight is "Pecolia's Star," a duet with

Sarah Siskind Sarah Siskind (born April 15, 1978) is an American folk singer and songwriter. Career Siskind grew up in North Carolina in a musical household. She learned the piano at an early age, began writing songs at age eleven and recorded her first albu ...

about folk artist Pecolia Warner.

Long Gone Time

Recorded in Louisiana, 2015's ''Long Gone Time'' was again produced by Joe McMahan, and drew praise for his lyrical imagery drawn from growing up in the South.

Other credits

Scotty Moore Winfield Scott Moore III (December 27, 1931 – June 28, 2016) was an American guitarist who formed The Blue Moon Boys in 1954, Elvis Presley's backing band. He was studio and touring guitarist for Presley between 1954 and 1968. Rock critic D ...

, and D.J. Fontana recorded "Deuce And A Quarter" (written by Gordon and Owen) for the 1997 album ''All the King's Men''. Gordon's duet with

Lucinda Williams Lucinda Gayle Williams (born January 26, 1953) is an American singer-songwriter and a solo guitarist. She recorded her first two albums: '' Ramblin' on My Mind'' (1979) and '' Happy Woman Blues'' (1980), in a traditional country and blues style ...

on the song "Down to the Well" (co-written with

Colin Linden Colin Kendall Linden (born 16 April 1960) is a Canadian guitarist, songwriter and record producer. Linden plays acoustic and electric guitar, specializing in slide guitar, country blues, and ragtime fingerpicking. He frequently collaborates with ...

) was featured on the 2001

Oxford American The ''Oxford American'' is a quarterly magazine that focuses on the American South. First publication The magazine was begun in late 1989 in Oxford, Mississippi, by Marc Smirnoff (born July 11, 1963). The name "Oxford American" is a play on ''T ...

Southern Music Sampler in their annual Southern music issue. In 2009,

HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...

licensed Gordon's song "Watching The Sun Go Down" for the television series ''

True Blood ''True Blood'' is an American fantasy horror drama television series produced and created by Alan Ball. It is based on ''The Southern Vampire Mysteries'', a series of novels by Charlaine Harris. A reboot is currently in development. The serie ...

''.

Gordon Gallery

Gordon collects folk art in his home in East Nashville. His collection can be viewed by appointment or at his Gordon Gallery website. His collection is also exhibited in shows at local venues.

Discography

Solo albums

* 1994: ''Carnival Time'' (Taxim Records) * 1997: ''Illinois 5 AM'' EP (Motherlode) * 1998: ''Cadillac Jack's #1 Son'' ( Shanachie) * 2000: ''Down To the Well'' (Shanachie) * 2005: ''O Come Look at the Burning'' (Crowville) * 2009: ''Salvage & Drift #1'' (self-released) compilation of live tracks, demos, and rarities * 2012: ''Gloryland'' (Crowville) * 2015: ''Long Gone Time'' (Crowville)

As composer

* 1995:

- ''Live'' (Trailer) - track 8, "Get Away" (co-written with Bo Ramsey) * 1996:

Sonny Burgess Albert Austin "Sonny" Burgess (May 28, 1929 – August 18, 2017) was an American rockabilly guitarist and singer. Biography Burgess was born on a farm near Newport, Arkansas to Albert and Esta Burgess. He graduated from Newport High School in ...

- ''Sonny Burgess Has Still Got It'' (

Rounder Rounder(s) or The Rounder(s) may refer to: Film and television * ''The Rounders'' (1914 film), a comedy short * ''The Rounder'' (1930 film), a comedy short * ''The Rounders'' (1965 film), a western comedy * ''Rounders'' (film), a 1998 poker f ...

) - track 9, "Fast Train" (co-written with Gwil Owen) * 1997: Mark Insley - ''Good Country Junk'' (Country Town) - track 7, "Six Feet Under" * 1998: Kate Campbell - ''Visions of Plenty'' (

Compass A compass is a device that shows the cardinal directions used for navigation and geographic orientation. It commonly consists of a magnetized needle or other element, such as a compass card or compass rose, which can pivot to align itself with ...

) - track 5, "This Side of Heaven"; track 11, "Sing Me Out" (both songs co-written with Kate Campbell) * 2000:

Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes are an American musical group from the Jersey Shore led by Southside Johnny. They have been recording albums since 1976 and are closely associated with Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band. They have recor ...

- ''Messin' with the Blues'' (Leroy) - track 9, "Cadillac Jack" * 2002:

David Zollo David Zollo is an American singer, songwriter, author, and recording artist, playing piano and organ on his own albums and for other artists. Biography Early years Iowa native Zollo learned piano at age 4. His grandfather E. Payson Re was a ...

- ''The Big Night'' (Trailer) - track 5, "Get Away" (co-written with Bo Ramsey) * 2004: John Reischman - ''Field Day'' ( Copper Creek) - track 10, "Over the Levee" (co-written with Trisha Gagnon) * 2005: Kate Campbell - ''Blues and Lamentations'' (Large River) - track 4, "Freedom Train" (co-written with Kate Campbell) * 2006:

- '' After the Rain'' (Rounder) - track 2, "Flowers" (co-written with Gwil Owen) * 2008: Kate Campbell - ''Save the Day'' (Large River) - track 11, "Shining Like the Sun" (co-written with Kate Campbell) * 2008: Eric Brace and Peter Cooper - ''You Don't Have to Like Them Both'' (

Red Beet The beetroot is the taproot portion of a beet plant, usually known in North America as beets while the vegetable is referred to as beetroot in British English, and also known as the table beet, garden beet, red beet, dinner beet or golden beet ...

) - track 3, "Down to the Well" (co-written with

) * 2008: Sean Garvey - ''California Parable'' (Small Town Graffiti) - track 5, "Layback Woman"; track 9, "Hard Way to Go" (both songs co-written with Sean Garvey) * 2014:

Hard Working Americans Hard Working Americans is an American rock supergroup formed in 2013. The band consists of singer Todd Snider, bassist Dave Schools from Widespread Panic, Chad Staehly of Great American Taxi on keyboards and Duane Trucks, also from Widespread Pan ...

- ''Hard Working Americans'' (Melvin) - track 3, "Down to the Well" * 2014: Hard Working Americans CD/DVD - ''The First Waltz'' (Melvin) - track 3 on DVD, "Down To the Well" * 2016:

Julie Christensen Julie Christensen (born January 21, 1956) is an American singer and songwriter. Noted for its versatility, Christensen's music has been praised by critics. As a solo artist, Christensen has released five albums, and in January 2016 released the ...

and Stone Cupid - ''The Cardinal'' (Stone Cupid) - track 6, "Saint on a Chain" * 2018:

Shemekia Copeland Charon Shemekia Copeland (born April 10, 1979) is an American electric blues vocalist. To date, she has released ten albums and been presented with seven Blues Music Awards. Career Copeland was born in Harlem, New York City, United States. She i ...

- ''America's Child'' (

Alligator Records Alligator Records is an American, Chicago-based independent blues record label founded by Bruce Iglauer in 1971. Iglauer was also one of the founders of the ''Living Blues'' magazine in Chicago in 1970. History Iglauer started the label using hi ...

) - track 10, "One I Love" (co-written with Gwil Owen) * 2022: Julie Christensen - ''11 From Kevin: Songs of Kevin Gordon'' (Wirebird Records)

Appears on

* 1999: Bob Delevante - ''Porchlight'' (Relay) * 2003: Kate Campbell - ''Twang on a Wire'' (Evangeline) * 2008: David Egan - ''You Don't Know Your Mind'' (Out of the Past / Rhonda Sue) * 2008:

Scott Kempner Scott "Top Ten" Kempner (born February 6, 1954, Bronx, New York, US) is the American rhythm guitarist with The Dictators since they formed in 1974 (only leaving the band for a few years starting in 2002). He is also a founding member of The Del- ...

- ''Saving Grace'' (MRI) * 2011: Chris Canterbury - ''Poets, Prophets, and All Things Forgotten'' (Back Porch)

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gordon, Kevin American male singer-songwriters American male guitarists American rock guitarists 1964 births Living people People from Louisiana Guitarists from Louisiana 20th-century American guitarists 20th-century American male musicians Shanachie Records artists Singer-songwriters from Louisiana