Dave Kelly

DAVE KELLY: Guitar, Slide Guitar & Vocals

If there is such a thing as a British 'blues pedigree', then Dave Kelly's sets the standard. Kelly is a blues craftsman - a journeyman who has served his time with the best.

In New York he jammed with Muddy Waters. He became a friend to Howlin' Wolf and John Lee Hooker, who both felt the benefit of Dave's playing in their touring bands. It was Dave's big sister, the late Jo-Ann Kelly, who first opened his ears to the blues, although his passion for rock and roll - and especially the work of Buddy Holly - remains intact. In 1967 he joined The John Dummer Blues Band. After three albums and a solo project he continued to polish his style and technique throughout an adventurous career with some of Britain's finest players. When The Blues Band was formed in 1979, the post of slide guitarist and joint vocalist was a foregone conclusion - and bringing his friend, the bassist Gary Fletcher, along to that first rehearsal, was a bonus. Dave Kelly's guitar and vocals form the very backbone of The Blues Band's distinctive sound.

Today, after 21 years 'treading the boards' with the band, with his solo albums, duo tours with Paul Jones, and soundtrack work (for commercials and such projects as BBC TV's 'King of the Ghetto' and the Comic Strip's 'Strike!') Dave Kelly is firmly estabished as Europe's premier blues performer.

See Dave Kelly: Solo Projects below for more on Dave.

Dave Kelly: Solo Projects

Dave has always maintained a musical identity outside of The Blues Band. The mid-Eighties saw him touring regularly with The Dave Kelly Band, particularly in Europe, and releasing four albums under that name.

In 1993 he released his first solo album for four years, the much acclaimed When The Blues Come to Call.

Dave has written and performed music for various films, tv series and ads including the Montreux Rose winning Strike starring Robbie Coltrane and the BBC four part drama series, King of the Ghetto, starring Tim Roth. He is an honorary patron of The London Guitar College with Hank Marvin.

Dave was voted Best Acoustic Artist in the B B C polls 1991, 1994, 1996, 1997 and 1998.

He and Paul Jones can also be seen around the country performing their acoustic duo set. Click here to read reviews of both the duo and of Dave's solo appearances.

Update Autumn 2002: Dave took The Dave Kelly Band out on a German tour in November .... the line-up was as follows: DK, Gary Fletcher on bass, Sam Kelly (Dave's son) on drums, and Pete Emery (Dave's brother-in-law and husband of the late Jo-Ann Kelly) on guitar. Gary Fletcher also opened the show with an acoustic solo spot. Photos below, courtesy Frank Baumgart & Harald Erb.

(Click on thumbnails to see larger versions of pics.)

Dave Kelly is also part of the team that run GTA, the Blues Band's agency. Go here for further info: www.gtamusic.co.uk