The glorious return of summer festival season is fast approaching finding Larry and Jenny Keel and Jared Pool (The Larry Keel Experience) criss-crossing these United States from the WinterWonder Grass fest in Squaw Valley to The Caverns in Tennessee and from 4848 at Snowshoe to Northwest String Summit in Oregon bringing their mountain grown, road-tested and grass-blended banquet of American roots music.
Q & A
DAVE LAVENDER: Spring is right around the corner and that means The Keels are in full migration mode soon to be nesting on a festival stage somewhere in America. That makes my heart flutter and give me a bit of the restless leg syndrome. What’s that feeling like as y’all look out at a plate full of sweet festivals like Winter Wondergrass, 4848 and so many great music fests in beautiful places?
LARRY KEEL: We just LOVE being in natural surroundings as aboslutely much as possible.. and to get to perform in some of our country’s most spectacular outdoor venues is really such an inspiring part of having a career in music. Plus, music just sounds better outside!
DAVE LAVENDER: What’s your “spring training” regimen to prep and land at summer’s fests?
LARRY KEEL: Well, lifestyle-wise we are way into gardening, fishing, hiking, and generally just being active and staying strong and healthy.. that helps us through some pretty hectic travel and minimal sleep situations when a tour is particularly complicated. Other than that, we just always keep working on new tunes and stay open to new ideas and sounds and experiences that infuse our music and make us fired up to get out there and play!
DAVE LAVENDER: As the good Lord intended it, you all are rolling into festival season with the winter-released ”Speed” and some new nuggets with Keller. What’s that been like to continue to foster that friendship and musical explorative trip with Keller through the years?
LARRY KEEL: After so many years with Keller, it’s like falling off a log to get together with him and play this ultra creative, ultra meaningful and totally FUN music with our brother-in-arms.. it’s just so easy and natural what we do with him, letting him lead us into what you accurately called our ‘musical explorative trips’, every time we play together.. it’s just so comfortable, yet unpredictable too! great combo!
DAVE LAVENDER: You’re going to be playing soon a concert to raise more awareness about Healing Appalachia, Tyler Childers, Ian Thornton and Charlie Hatcher’s efforts to help combat the opioid crisis… What’s been the fallout from that crisis over in your all’s neck of the woods in Virginia? And how important is it to come together to continue to support those recovery houses doing that hard work of not giving up on folks every day?
LARRY KEEL: We see the same situation in our neck of the woods, and in so many localities around the country that we encounter up close in our travels. This is definitely a national-scale humanitarian crisis, and so many factors are at play that are causing the problem. We just want to encourage empathy and open dialogue about the opiod crisis and lend our support however we can.
DAVE LAVENDER: Speaking of Tyler, we got to see you just burn down the stage in Pikeville. I was super stoked that y’all were on the bill and educating some teenagers on what it means to keep it Keel! What’s it been like for you as certainly a mentor and friend of Tyler’s from way back when he played Appalachian Uprising and V Club days.”
LARRY KEEL: My soul sings with joy for Tyler! He is exactly what Country Music has been needing – he’s the real deal, no fluff and formula. I can’t wait to hear more of what he’s got to offer us all – and if he’s got time I wouldn’t mind trying to write a song with him! hahaha! Go Tyler go!
DAVE LAVENDER: Speaking of Appalachian Uprising… I know festivals come and go but certainly you were a huge part in growing Appalachian Uprising since you were always a perennial favorite. Our good buddy Bob Delong was such a big part of reeling in that magic mix of jam grass and Americana bands for many years with that fest. How cool is it to see Bob resurface back in his hometown of Ironton, Ohio, to help fuel that little river town with his Ohio River Revival and bring some of that festival spirit down to the river in June?
LARRY KEEL: It is beyond cool to see Bob back on the scene- we’re so proud of him and appreciate him so much for all he’s done for everyone.. he, too, is the real deal, and his passion, sincerity and enthusiasm for promoting music are an inspiration. We’re all in this for the long haul!
DAVE LAVENDER: For pickers out there, you’re one of the great masters of being able to pop up and jam with anyone. As recreational pickers get ready to assume the position at festival campsites, what’s a good piece of advice for them?
LARRY KEEL: If you burn to play music, then get on in there and play with as many folks as you can- keep it fun, but you do have to LISTEN to what’s going on around you, whether you’re just starting out or an accomplished master player. If you’re playing music, you’re there to ‘serve’ the music. Be a part of it, and let your own sound weave into the magic of the whole.
Find out more about Larry Keel’s deep and wide musical catalog, as well as his natural obsession with fishing, online at https://larrykeel.com
