Ken Tucker

Ken Tucker: Looking For A Brighter Day

Indiana-based blues man Ken Tucker and his band release new album Looking For A Brighter Day on Jomar Records.

Tucker, an electric guitar virtuoso in the mould of a Jimi Hendrix or a Stevie Ray Vaughan, is a veteran musician of 20 years. He has been endorsed by none other than legendary Gospel singer Larry Norman, and received rave reviews for his previous album, Kings of Cannelburg Road, recorded as Ken Tucker and Back Porch Pilgrims (a duo made up of Tucker and Josh Hammond).

Looking For A Brighter Day is a collection of smoking blues songs based around Tucker’s playing, which is technically immaculate at the same time as being truly soulful. Tracks such as a riotous blues romp Guitar Man are sure to get audiences’ feet tapping, while Call Me Up is a Bo Diddley-esque piece of loud blues-rock.

Like any bona-fide blues musician, Ken is all about authenticity and putting his heart and soul into the music: “As far as my playing and singing goes, it comes down to believing what I am playing and singing about. When I play, I try to bleed every note I play and when I sing, I try to be the person in the song and feel what they feel, be it joy or anxiety. I write songs that are in direct relation with my life and experiences on a daily basis.”

Ken was in love with music from an early age thanks to a mother who taught him the piano, and his father’s record collection. But it was at 13, after hearing his brother’s copy of Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, that he knew music was what he wanted to do with his life. He started obsessively playing guitar with friends, was a member of several bands and gradually learnt the trade of being a performer.

In 1999 he opened for Larry Norman, who remains one of Ken’s big admirers. Norman said of him: “I’ve known a lot of Christian artists in my life. It’s hard to describe exactly what it is I feel about Kenny, but I know that regardless of any impact he might have upon the gospel music scene, he will have a much larger effect on the secular citizens he walks among”.

Ken’s influences, besides Norman, include The Beatles, Ben Harper, Blind Boys of Alabama, Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Jim Seprodi. The biggest influence on his life though, is Jesus Christ.

Ken has come into his own recently as a musician. After 20 years playing music for other people as a sideman, Ken is now a solo artist with the freedom to stretch his legs and run. Looking For A Brighter Day is the sound of a man realizing his potential and finding his voice. Ken recently won the coveted Muzak Emerging Artist Award at the renown Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival in West Helena, Arkansas.

Management, Booking & Media Enquiries:

Jomar Records
P.O. Box 18221
Jacksonville, Florida 32229-0221
Office/Fax (386) 445-9595
For further information go to www.JomarRecords.com
- Jomar Records

"Oh boy, that guy is phenomenal! He is this incredible blues guitarist/singer. He was actually a guitar player for Larry Norman for a couple of years."

---Zoe Lexis - The Indie Edge Radio Show. - Zoe Lexis

"Anyone need a great blues guitarist? Homeboy can play for sure."

--- Max Hsu, founder of the mega band, Superchic[k] - Max Hsu

I dig your music. I think this is the most passionate thing I've heard in a while. It doesn't get much better than this. It's perfect, great change ups, and perfect mood. Very original.
Completely professional in every way. This is ready for worldwide exposure!

---anonymous E-mail - Anonymous

~~~

I recieved a phone call from a guy in early August, by the name of Ken Tucker, pitching his music to me. I was a bit skeptical about this guy, simply because I hear this 'sales pitch' alot. About a week later I recieved his Compact Disc and immediatly put it in my audio player. I was BLOWN AWAY from the first note! It dosen't take long to hear a hit. I listened to all the songs and came to the conclusion that this guy is BAD TO THE BONE. His entire album rocks! I believe in this CD, more importantly him.

I listened to his story and how he was taken advantage of by a so-called "record promoter," so I decided to take him under my wing (One thing I hate is a promo man who sell's pipe dreams to extort money from inexperienced recording artist) and signed him to the record label immediatly.

To validate my opinion, he beat out Twenty Two (22) artists/bands at The King Biscuit Blues and Heritage Festival and claimed the coveted title of "Emerging Artist" sponsored by Muzak. Ken Tucker is a great guy with huge potential! Get ready for some long overdue, hard rockin blues music. You won't be dissapointed.

"Every Country and Continent will benifit from Ken Tucker. The world will be brighter when they hear his music".

Josh Hammond's acoustical version of the Timeless Cassic- Wafaring Stranger is a masterpiece! A must for Triple "A" radio.

PS-Tim Bushong did an outstanding job mixing and mastering this CD. FIRST RATE ALL THE WAY!

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- X

Well, shades of the bluesy side of The Allman Brothers, was my first thought upon first listening to this extremely enjoyable CD, Looking For A Brighter Day (Jomar Records), from Ken Tucker. There is Tucker's driving guitar, Josh Hammond's soulful harmonica and 12 original well-written songs that run the gamut from rock to country to blues with a touch of spirituality thrown in. That's an awful lot to ask from one CD, but it all comes together so well here.

The opening title track, "Looking For A Brighter Day," has all the hooks, great guitar and vocals to give it "hit" possibility. The second cut, "Call Me Up," is the kind of club track that gets everyone up to dance. (You know what I mean, as soon as "Mustang Sally" starts, even the most decrepit get up to dance).

The third cut, "The Sun Also Shines," made me think of Stevie Ray Vaughn. The excellent "Walking Cane," with its rockabilly mentality swings, as does "Guitar Man" with its Bo Diddley beat. The soulful "Lord You're All I Need Tonight" and "The King Is Coming" take us in a different direction, as does the slow blues of "Tin Cup Blues." Another notable track is the upbeat "Why Do You Hurt Me," which starts of with a killer guitar and bass and sort of epitomizes what Southern rock is all about. This track reminded me that credit needs to go out to Sarah Sue Kelly and Hannah Bushong for their great background singing. They add to the full sound of this project.

In closing, the CD offers a fine version of the old folk chestnut "Wayfaring Stranger," done here with a guitar and harmonica, supporting a fine vocal and given a slow haunting arrangement. This track took me back to my youth where our household had this song on an old Eddy Arnold C&W album. I always thought his version was definitive, now I'm having second thoughts. All in all a strong release that has universal appeal. Let's hope this labor of love does
- Blues Bytes

Ken Tucker: Looking For A Brighter Day (Jomar Records)
Ken Tucker is a well-seasoned blues rocker in the tradition of the Allman Brothers, Joe Walsh, Georgia Satellites, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Lynyrd Skinner.
“Looking For A Brighter Day” is the follow-up to Tucker’s debut “Back Porch Pilgrims”, and finds the burly Tucker joined by Josh Hammond on harmonica. Ken’s specialty is hard rockin’, bone crunchin’ blues of the “take-no-prisoners” variety. This is Southern-fried rock/blues that’s finger-licking good. Like steaming racks of meaty BBQ at a summer music festival!
Indiana-based, Ken used to let his guitar do all the talking, but friends convinced him those “hard-as-nails” vocals would bump up the excitement. They perfectly complement his fiery guitar licks. The Ken Tucker band has made tremendous headway recently, like winning Best Emerging Artist for its stage and recording prowess at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival. I should have been there!
Thirteen smokin’ tracks on “Looking For A Brighter Day” raise the energy level enough to increase room temperature by about 15 degrees. Tucker’s assertive guitar is the key that unlocks the door—throughout. The title track goes beyond another hook-laden piece of power pop thanks to Tucker’s highly distinctive guitar riffs.
“The Sun is Always Shinin” is a slice of party-time blues with some wonderful interplay between Tucker’s axe and Hammond’s harp. “Walkin’ Cane is a thrill-a-second shuffler that perfectly sets the table for “Tin Cup Blues”, an unabashed grinder with lots of distorted torrid guitar and emotionally-charged vocals----plus a very touching piano break from Larry DeVincent. And it has an unmistakable “Jimi Hendrix” vibe! “Guitar Man” is a case study in pure Southern rock.
Tucker does a couple songs with some religious overtones where restraint is the order of the day, allowing him to get the seriousness of the message across: “Lord You’re All I Need” and “The King Is Comin’. “Why Do You Hurt Me”’ is a rock/blues anthem number that reminded me of Bruce Springsteen: more evidence of Tucker’s seamless versatility. “Cold Rain Comin” is more rock-solid Blues, and may just be my favorite cut---but that could change.
For those who crave honest, unadorned Blues that rocks out and gets close-to-the bone and packs an unforgettable wallop, I give “two-thumbs-up” to Ken Tucker’s “Looking For Another Day”.
- Gary T