Californian Bluesman Kirk Fletcher has slowly being making his way up into the elite Blues guitarist list for some time now. His fourth studio album ‘Hold On’, which was released back in 2018, has received accolades & nominations for Blues awards worldwide and in February Australian Blues fans can get to see Fletcher up close and personal for a string of shows up & down the east coast. Fletcher’s popularity has steadily grown over recent years and he now sits alongside the likes of Eric Gales, Joe Bonamassa & Walter Trout as being one of the top Blues players in the world. Talking to Fletcher, it doesn’t take long to realise how humble, relaxed & laid back the 44 year old is, as he takes what he is achieving all in his stride to remaining incredibly grounded. His Blues is soulful at times as well as funky & cool and you can hear how his influences were wide & varied when he was growing up. We managed to talk to Kirk just before Christmas to discuss his up & coming February tour, where it all started for him and how he has grown as a songwriter.
Sean: Hi Kirk, it’s Sean from The Rockpit over here in Perth Australia. How are you?
Kirk: I’m good thanks Sean. How are you today?
Sean: Really well thank you. We have the pleasure of your company in February because you are heading down here to Australia to play some dates. How much are you looking forward to that?
Kirk: Ah man, I can’t wait. I believe it was 2017 when I was last there.
Sean: For a musician who gets to play all over the world, do you notice much of a difference with audiences for each country?
Kirk: Well, you know sometimes. It depends where you are playin’ because some places they are more into the show and they have paid their money to see only you and sometimes in the States it can be a little different because they may have a few artists on the same show and so people can be a bit distracted. But on the whole it doesn’t matter where in the world you are if they are into it they can feel what you’re trying to project. I’m so lucky to have a really great audience wherever I go in the world.
Sean: Well, since you were last with us you released the wonderful album ‘Hold On’ back in 2018, so I’m sure you will be playing plenty of tracks from that on this tour. I love the song ‘The Answer’. It’s just got such a nice vibe to it but the whole album has so many different styles throughout. One minute you’re chilling out to some real soulful blues and the next it’s a toe-tapping, funky groove that makes you want to get up and shake it off.
Kirk: Well thank you so much. I grew up in a town where I got hear so many different types of music and I grew up in church so I really had so many different influences that I could draw from when I was working on ‘Hold On’ and I wanted to record something that had a little bit of something for everyone, you know?
Sean: Well, it certainly ticks plenty of boxes. I also saw that it was nominated for a Blues Music Award in the ‘Contemporary Blues Album’ category so big congratulations from us all for that.
Kirk: Thank you. It was, so I was really happy about that. Basically it’s great because it gives that little bit of notoriety so people know you’ve put out a record [laughs]
Sean: [laughs] Every little bit helps. I also know a lot of musicians I’ve spoken to tell me they don’t do it for the accolades but that must be so rewarding after all the hard work you must put in to create something like that.
Kirk: Absolutely. It is so rewarding.
Sean: Now I’ve had a real good listen to ‘Hold On’ I’m looking forward to exploring more of your back catalogue. I like to hear how an artist has developed from their debut album and when it’s someone whose material I haven’t heard as much of it can be a real interesting & noticeable step back.
Kirk: Wow, yeah that would be real interesting to hear. Even now when I listen to my first record I’m like “Wow”… there is a real big difference to me now, in a really good way though, but I really like that first record because that’s how I was at that time.
Sean: And that was twenty years ago now. What way, if any, would you say you’ve changed as a songwriter in those twenty years?
Kirk: Basically twenty years ago I wasn’t a song writer and I had never written a song in life. There’s such a big difference between just singing a song and actually writing a song, especially when it involves words. When I write the lyrics I can express myself in a way that I can actually tell you how I feel about something through words as opposed to just through the music with say a guitar instrumental, which is cool too.
Sean: I do love a nice guitar instrumental but it’s nice to hear find out what a song is about or why it was written. Looking down your tour dates you have a rare few days off I see… two days in fact, while you’re in Melbourne.
Kirk: I’m sure I’ll find something to do in those few days [laughs]
Sean: Australia is currently blessed with an exceedingly strong Blues scene and 2019 has seen some wonderful home grown artists release some of their best Blues music to date. With Australia becoming so much more accessible to the world now it’s great to see artists like you, Kenny Wayne Shepherd & Joe Bonamassa become regular visitors to our shores. 2020 also sees Walter Trout & Chris Cain heading here so we really need to thank you making sure we don’t get left out.
Kirk: Well, that really is great to hear and even more so because all those guys are great friends of mine too.
Sean: Taking you back to when it all began for you, I believe you started playing the guitar from the age of eight years old but what was it that made you pick it up in the first place?
Kirk: Yeah, my father was a Pentecostal preacher and pastor of a church and my older brother played so I basically grew right up playing in church. My mom played, my sister-in-law played so it was all around me in the early days and I just picked up on but I can’t explain why I just picked up the guitar. So it was the church background that really got me going firstly.
Sean: Were you a naturally gifted guitar player from the beginning or was it something you really had to work at?
Kirk: No, I found it fairly easy and didn’t really have to think about it too much because I loved it so much. And because I loved it so much I didn’t find it difficult at all. You know how it is – if you love doing something it never seems like hard work when you’re doing it.
Sean: I see one of your favourite guitars in your collection is a ’59 Les Paul that was presented to you by Joe Bonamassa at the Gibson factory in Nashville.
Kirk: Yeah, it’s like from the Collectors Guitar Series and it’s called a ‘Nicky’ Les Paul. I love that guitar – it really is an amazing guitar. It is one thing for someone to present you with a guitar but it’s another thing when it’s such an incredible guitar. It’s a dream and something I will remember for a very long time.
Sean: Staying with the Joe Bonamassa connection, I only found out the other day that you played in the band on his album ‘Live at The Greek’ and of course, also joining you on that album was one of our very own, the wonderful Mahalia Barnes, who has lent her stunning vocals to a few Joe’s tours now.
Kirk: Yeah, that was amazing. She was alongside Jade MacRae & Juanita Tippins and that’s how I met them.
Sean: Hopefully Mahalia will be able to get catch up with you at one of your shows and maybe even join you on stage for a song.
Kirk: I certainly hope so. That would be amazing. I’m going to definitely try to get in contact so we can catch up.
Sean: That would have been something I would love to have seen but sadly no Perth dates this tour. We understand the logistics with timeframes & schedules so we’ll wait patiently until the next time you’re over [laughs]
Kirk: Perth is a wonderful place. I was there many years ago. We’ll definitely try next time.
Sean: For all the Blues fans over on the east coast this tour is going to be very special and I’m extremely jealous I can’t get over to see one of the shows. But you now have four studio albums to choose from for your live material does that make it all that much harder to select a set list?
Kirk: Obviously, I will be playing the majority of the ‘Hold On’ album and a few from some of my past albums but also probably play a few of the Blues classics as well but you’re right, I do have quite a few to choose from now [laughs]
Sean: Wonderful stuff. I just wanted to finish with a few of my more regular questions if I may.
Kirk: Yeah, sure.
Sean: If I booked you into a restaurant and you could invite three guests from the music world, past or present, who would you invite to join you?
Kirk: Let’s see… Lonnie Johnson, Howlin’ Wolf and lastly would have to be Jimi Hendrix… Actually, I would have to change that to B.B. King, Howlin’ Wolf & Jimi Hendrix but Lonnie Johnson would be hanging on a table pretty close to us [laughs]
Sean: What a great table of musical legends. What was the last album you listened to?
Kirk: The last album I listened to right through was probably J.J. Cale’s first record ‘Naturally’ I think. I’ve been listening to a lot of Robert Cray too lately.
Sean: Cool – I’ll put that on and have a listen after this interview has finished. If you could be credited with writing any song ever written, what song would you choose?
Kirk: Hmmm… oh man, that’s tough… Probably ‘This Bitter Earth’ by Dinah Washington.
Sean: I shall add that to my playlist of answers. I remember that track was used for the closing credits of the movie ‘Shutter Island’ – powerful stuff.
Kirk: It’s such a great song.
Sean: Kirk, it’s been an absolute pleasure getting to talk to you and we all wish you safe travels when you head down to see us, as well as wish all the best for the tour and also continued success with your wonderful album ‘Hold On’.
Kirk: Thank you so much Sean. I appreciate it.
KIRK FLETCHER TOUR DATES
Thursday 6th February
The Factory, SYDNEY
105 Victoria Rd, Marrickville
http://bit.ly/FLR19-KirkFletcher
Friday 7th February
Lizotte’s, NEWCASTLE
31 Morehead Rd, Lambton
https://lizottes.com.au/live/shows/booking/2679
Saturday 8th February
The Abbey, CANBERRA
O’Hanlon Place, Nicholls
https://www.eventopia.co/event/Kirk-Fletcher/388668
Sunday 9th February
Way Out West, MELBOURNE
4 Market St, Newport
www.trybooking.com/522360
Wednesday 12th February
Caravan Music Club, MELBOURNE
1 Victor Rd, Bentleigh East
https://www.trybooking.com/519427
Thursday 13th February
Lighthouse Theatre, WARRNAMBOOL
185 Timor St, Warrnambool
Tix on sale July 15
Friday 14th February
The Gov, ADELAIDE
59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh
https://thegov.oztix.com.au/?Event=104192
