kennywtelejazz

Hired Gun  is a  move documentary about what it takes to become a top level in demand musician  for hire . 

An elite group of "First Call, A-List" musicians share their incredible behind-the-scenes stories of touring, what it takes to play next to the world’s most iconic musicians, and create some of the world's most popular songs.

I just got done watching this film and I have to say wow . This movie was a must see for me . I'm here to share and put the word out for anyone who hasn't seen or heard of it.
I got the copy I watched from my library and I know this movie is listed on Netflix ...where else I do not know ...great stories  great playing and a very sobering look at the bizz from the players that have lived it .

Here's a couple of u tubes trailers for those who want to know more .

Last but not least , here is a link to  an article titled 10 quotes from Hired Gun . The web page contains  a few more videos .

https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/10-quotes-from-hired-gun-that-show-just-how-much-freelancers-rock-stars-have-in-common.html

all the best

Kenny

On 2/4/2019 at 7:11 AM, BassDaddy said:

I love me a Guild Bluesbird Kenny. My daughter brought one home from college once. Her friend wanted me to look at it and see what could be doneabout how noisy it was. I played it a lot over 2 weeks and and told her to have him keep the dimmer switch lights off. I could have told him that sooner but I got 2 weeks with the Bluesbird. Also there is a good PBS show on rock sidemen and women hosted by Earl Slick.(Bowie's sideman, guit player) Worth watching if it comes up again.

Hey BassDaddy , 

I took a little time away from online hence my late reply . 

Yes I Love The various models of Guild BluseBirds Guild has brought to market over the years .

The one I have is somewhat of a modern interpretation of The BluesBird .  I would LOVE to have a few vintage BluseBirds with some of the old school designs and various pickup options .  It is nice that you got to play one for a while.

On 2/4/2019 at 7:14 AM, BassDaddy said:

Those are some wonderful stories Kenny. Thanks for sharing them.

Thank you for the Kind Word. They men a lot too me 

On 2/4/2019 at 9:13 AM, craigb said:

And now you live in Vantucky!  It's a logical progression!  🤣

 

 

Ouch , I wonder how bad or who I must have screwed up in a past life ..he he he he  ...

On 2/4/2019 at 9:13 AM, craigb said:

 

 

My Mom's at that age (will be 90 in May) where she's reliving old memories (what I get for having her take supplements that help remove brain fog!  LOL).  She was just relating to me yesterday how I would stand at the edge of my playpen and sing like crazy.  Apparently the Double-Mint Chewing Gum commercial was a favorite...  Then, when my voice changed as I got older, it put me right in the middle of octaves and the singing stopped, but I would doodle on a piano at every given chance.  I just wish they could have afforded to give me lessons (on anything musical!) - actually, it was the instrument itself they couldn't afford since I was already costing them an arm and a leg with my sporting endeavors.  I didn't discover guitar until late at a friend's house in Junior High.

what are you saying here ? both your mom and I tell a lot of stories from the past ......

You watch Pal when you get old you are gonna probably  be pulling your own version of a Forrest Gump ...LOL 

Hey as far as you Mom goes God Bless her ...Wow 89 going on 90 ...

all the best,

Kenny

10 hours ago, craigb said:

I feel so underprivileged... 😕

 

(My Mom never had a basement.) 😆

Say don't feel too bad about that one my friend . All the apartments in the Ghetto of The Bronx where I'm from didn't have basements either .

Kenny

PS ,  After 25 years of therapy I have found the root of all my emotional problems .

The freaky thing is it was right there staring me in the face the whole time .

I had found an old photo album of when I was a baby and I saw the evidence with my own two eyes . My mama couldn't afford a proper Teddy Bear for me when I was a baby so she had gotten me a fluffy  skunk called Pepe Le Pew instead of a Teddy Bear ....It hurts Man It HURTS ....my first nick name was Stinky and this whole experience seems to have scarred  me for Life ....thankfully I found The Guitar and it has been all downhill ever since .

I recently  got the chance to co produce and  record this  strikingly  handsom  fellas  performance  of

"Who Stole My Boys I Know The  Vet Has Done Me Wrong  "     

Once the tracking was done I  dialed in some of his suspicious bone chilling howls  using Melodyne ..

Also ran his piano playing through the Pro Channel while addin a touch of Breverb .

Overall the session worked out Great when he was not licking the spots  where his Lost Boys  used to hang out ...

(ooopsss there goes my Pinocchio nose again .... alright who slipped a blue pill in my coffee ? I know and you know I'm telling the truth ?  Right ?}

uncross fingers ...

Kenny

4 hours ago, craigb said:

I didn't reply because I just thought you were trolling.  If you play guitar, then you should be able to tell that JF's playing was no where's near average by any comparison.  I have no credentials like Kenny, but I did play in a band with Craig Goldy (Ronnie James Dio's godchild who played with Guifria and Dio), and I used to hang out with Walter Trout and Eddie Van Halen down in So. Cal.  I can tell the difference between average and above.  Most guitarists would give their left nut to play as well as JF did in those videos.

 

But (I guess), that's just my opinion.

 

Nice one Craig  .

As far as credentials go I'm not generally impressed my own for that matter ...

I'm super grateful that a couple of my hero's saw that I was a genuine   person w out a hidden agenda and they made the time to give me a push in the right direction . 

thank you for sharing

3 hours ago, bayoubill said:

I love his version of Light My Fire

Yes . So do I . 

2 hours ago, BassDaddy said:

The only thing I have to say is... I have been trying real hard but I can't remember President Kramer or President Guild. There are a few holes in the 70's timeline for me, so to be expected I guess.

Oops, never mind. I may have miss read some things.

In the mid 1980's The President of Guild Guitars Mark Dronge had given me a hand made prototype of the Brian Setzer Elliot Easton Blues Bird

He also gave one ( the same model ) to a Player Named Earl Slick ...I have never met Earl S.....either way I feel very blessed to have received the Guild Blues Bird Prototype

I still have it and play in from time to time

Mine looks just like this pic here  but mine is in Black . It is also # 15  of this model  ever made

Dennis Beradi  was the president of Kramer Guitars  In the mid 80 's He was a super cool person I would have loved to have traded places with him for a while ...

Hhmm, come to think of it I guess they used to them Prez's back then not COE's  .

As we all know Eddie Van Halen  was the most famous Kramer guitar endorse for a number of years back then ...that's what makes it real sweet for me ...

little old me AKA  "who's Kenny I never heard of him before " got invited the The Kramer factory in Neptune NJ

I must have been doing something right because Dennis Beradi sent his personal Limo and driver to my address which happened to be a cockroach  infested walk up on the wrong side of the tracks near and just above Washington Heights in NYC .

The Limo driver drove me out there to Neptune  NJ , I hung w Dennis while did some chit chat then he had me strapped in his Porsche doing donuts and pulling G's in a secluded open lot ...

That may be the closest I may ever come to knowing what it must feel like to pull a G while still being on the ground .

After that we went into the Kramer Factory and I was told by Dennis I can have any guitar in the whole factory I want  w the exception of The Ripley ...

The Ripley was a single hum bucking bridge guitar w a hex pick up ...full control of each string w a vol and pan control ......Floyd rose trem ..he just had too much into that model to put a Ripley in my sweaty grimy paws for free...

I didn't care I wanted a 2 pick up guitar any way ....after playing a dozen guitars I picked a Blue American Kramer Pacer w a Floyd rose ( black hardware )

my guitar had a Jeff Beck Seymour Duncan in the bridge position w coil tap and a Seymour 59 or Jazz pick up in the neck ..

I love this guitar , I still own and play it ...

stock it looked very much like this one in the stock pic but with a black Floyd ..

Any way that there is some of my story ...

I miss those days in a way because people used to network face to face ..

Back then you couldn't pretend to be an up and coming Musical internet version of Genghis Khan  while ordering your troops around from the  comfort of Mom's basement apt ..

all the best ,

Kenny

1 hour ago, HectorS said:

What is it those kidz say - uh, yeah -- too long didn't read.  But judging by the length of that missive I must have really hit a nerve.  I guess your thought process is -- well, if JF's electric guitar seems average especially compared to the greats where does that leave me (you)?  Okay, I listened to a little bit of your playing just to be fair.  You're good but not great (which is most everybody actually).  But honestly, why get upset (judging by the length of your message) because someone doesn't agree with you on the internet.  Don't be such a theybie dude.  Take care.

 

 

Typical ....

Honestly I don't care if you read it or not ...I Lived It my man ....

I will tell you this sport , you come into my thread , then you disrespect the featured artist Jose Felicaino while  you act like your not even claiming responsibility  for your view points and attempted written character assassination  of Jose and his playing while your acting all as if you are  a better player than Jose .

Yet you offer ZERO EVIDENCE OF THE FACT Of Backing Up Your Claims by letting us hear some of your playing

Then you try to play the whole I got a right to a Freedom of speech  stance and then try to use it as a way to try and get me to co sign your BS.

Then when you don't get your way and I call you out you try an attempt to MARGINALIZE Me and act all Jaded as if I should give a puck about you and what you think 

Just so we are clear my dealings with you fall into one basic category .

I'm simply taking out the trash in my thread ( you ) 

Kenny

PS you could have played it different and just said hey ..I don't dig his playing ...there's other cats I dig more , and if you left out the whole high and mighty holier than thou  stance you took ...I would have been OK w that

2 hours ago, HectorS said:

If you and others dig this, that's fine by me.  I was giving my opinion.   But, for you to base your 'comeback' on how many hit songs I have, how many Grammys etc.  is sadly childish (not an argument).   (If you stated a dislike for an artist or a piece of music  -- and I'm sure you have -- would you accept as valid a response such as yours? )

First off I never bad rap musical artist's online or even  in person especially if they are not there to defend themselves . It's just not a thing I'm into  on any level ..

To me some peoples online behavior  is no different than The Classic "A - Hole guitarist " that shows up to hear another guitarists band live on stage and gives the player on stage the old thousand yard stare while sitting in the front row while he has his arms crossed in front of his chest doing his best interpretation of a Deadly Self Inflicted Cobra Snake Death Grip ...Poor fella he wasn't brought up right because  his mama never sat him down and told him that the death hold is real bad for his blood circulation

it's just like drinking poison and then expecting the guy on stage to Die ...

You seem  not to know a thing about me and I must confess it appears to be mutual on my end .

So please allow me the opportunity to clue you in .

I hate sharing parts of my resume online I honestly do hate to do so but in this case I will share a few of the Cliff Note moments

What do you really  know about Hendrix ? Have you ever been to his Greenwich Village apt,  sat on his couch in his living room and talked w his roommate ?

I have 3 times . Mike Q was Jimi's roommate since the 60's. Mike held on to Jimi's apt until a few years ago when he then was forced due to age and health problems to enter a assisted living place of residence.

Siting there listening to Mike talk about how Jimi approached his playing and music while sitting on Jimi's couch was a real eye and ear opener

For the record , to this day I have never read a word in print or saw a video that even covers what Jimi's creative process on the level of what Mike Q told me ..

Have you ever played your guitar in a Band as a sideman with an Artist that has won 7 Grammy's  ? I have and  I have also played with a number of Grammy Nominated Artists for some of their select live show's

Have you ever worked as a musician and played your guitar in and for a hit Broadway Show ? I have , I subbed in and for the Original Broadway Show The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas . 

Do you know what it is like to sit down with George Harrison and talk guitars ? I do and it was a life changing event for me ....

Have you ever been gifted a guitar  from the President  of a well respected USA guitar company ?  I have twice . Both Guild And Kramer have given me guitars as gifts.

Most people from the Legacy Forum knew I have hung out and had conversations w Chet Atkins , Eric Clapton , Robbie Blunt , Ronny Wood , Steve Miller , Peter Frampton , Bobby Mayo , Steve Katz and a whole list of Rock Guitar players ....

In Jazz it was even a lot better for me as a Player ..every body here knows I used to jam w Joe Pass and Emily Remler all the time

I have studied with some of the worlds best .......good lord this ain't no humble brag any more ..shheshhhhhh...

Man I can do this all day and all night but doing that means I have to drag myself down to some place I don't want to go to ...

So you think my approach is childish ? ...Yeah Right ...

Dude I can back my $hit up .....CAN YOU ?

Kenny

PS , I'm more of a HERE and Now type of Guitar Player and I am in the best shape of my guitar playing life ....

Knock , knock on the  plain  maple top of my Gibson R 8

You might want to read this post fast because I may decide to pull this post down in an hour or two because do not like putting my old accomplishments out there ....any body that knows me here especially knows it just ain't my style

15 hours ago, abacab said:

It's all about trying to play those nylon strings like an electric.

Good one abacab ,

I have had phase's in my guitar playing and practice routine where I would only use a classical guitar for practice and working things out .

I remember those times well and after a few weeks or a month my hands felt very strong .

Things that were hard to play on electric had all of a sudden felt fluid and much easier to play on my electric ....

Ssshhh , don't tell anybody ......I hunted down my classical guitar yesterday , put it on my only guitar stand , put away the few electrics I had out except for the Worlds least expensive Les Paul and started Kenny's version of a guitar boot camp practice and playing routine ...

all the best ,

Kenny

4 hours ago, HectorS said:

If I had a few brews and was in the local bar and this band came on playing this I'd yell "woo-woo-woo" with the rest of the drunks.  But listening sober, it ain't that spectacular - quite ordinary by most rock guitar standards.   The 'masses' eat up that kind of rambling fast playing -- kinda like when somebody plays faux-flamenco with E chords sliding fast up and down the fretboard.  Or all the wunderkind on YouTube -- takes more than some razzle-dazzle to be a great guitarist, right?

One thing this does do is to remind me how great Hendrix et al were.

We have been talking in this thread about clips of Jose's playing that are in some cases over 30 years old ...a lot can happen in 30 years

Inquiring minds  would like to learn about the people they are talking too .

So why don't you school me first on who you would like me to think you are .

I  must have missed the memo where you posted the links to all your chart topping hit songs, 

Also I would love to have the u tube links to your multiple Grammy wins including the acceptance speech's you have made for them ....

all the best ,

Kenny

8 hours ago, InstrEd said:

He certainly made it his own. Thanks for sharing

Jose did make it his own and that's a thing I dig about it ...there's more I dig but I'm listening to you guys for the moment ...Thank You for sharing 

8 hours ago, Bapu said:

I see watt you did there Jyemz.

 

Sadly, Jose did not.

Ouch.... lol

8 hours ago, James G said:

Just a Freudian slip, certainly no joke intended.

7 hours ago, Bapu said:

My bad.

What ? an admission of an individualized recognition of a personal   perceptual distortion of the facts coming from " the bapu " will the wonders ever cease ?

This here  post was said with WUB

6 hours ago, abacab said:

That was an in your face version of Purple Haze that I've never heard before!  Good find!

I ran across an interesting interview with Jose, where he spills a few of his secrets...

Jose Feliciano talks acoustic guitars and a lifetime of making music

https://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/jose-feliciano-talks-acoustic-guitars-and-a-lifetime-of-making-music-567096

Hey abacab ,

That link was a good read , nice to rap w you again , Love what you contributed , thanks .

6 hours ago, craigb said:

And this made me do a Google search 'cause, as my reply implies, I didn't know he was actually blind (born blind for that matter).

That explains his not looking at the fretboard and, probably, his exceptional hearing while tuning.

Jose Feliciano had a lot of Fame back when he was breaking out . Just about every one knew he was blind . Now when we factor in the 50 year + gap between 1968 & 2019 it doesn't surprise me that someone  may or not know about his blindness ....you get a free pass ...don't worry about it  .

Kenny

9 hours ago, craigb said:

Damn that was some tasty playing!  He totally knows exactly where he is and could play it blindfolded.  Plus I have friends who can't tune that well even after 30-40 seconds - LOL!

Yes that is pretty cool playing  on Jose's part ...I'm still getting over the shock of it all ..thanks for sharing ...

7 hours ago, James G said:

Wow, that's an eye-opener!

Oh Yeah James , True that ! This guitar playing from Jose  is a real solid two for the price of one .

When I watch his playing on the video I get a real eye opener . When I close my eyes and just listen to his guitar playing I get a real ear opener ...

thanks for sharing .

52 minutes ago, BassDaddy said:

If you can play it, you get to keep it.

Hey BassDaddy ,

Say you bring up an interesting point .

When I was younger and banging around doing my Git Box travels I would meet Rock guitar players that could play Jazz , Jazz guitar players that could absolutely shred and all kinds of players that had a " secret  you would never know aspect and depth to their guitar playing "

In a way I should not be surprised .

I guess when you hit it as big as Jose did in his career as an Artist , he must have had to stay true to playing the tunes and putting on shows that pleased his audience ...

cool beans , nice talking with you ,

Kenny

18 hours ago, pwalpwal said:

yes literally actually literally

that's pretty cool ...exactly right on the 50 year mark ...it's a good age ....I remember it well .How I wish I could get back to it

17 hours ago, James G said:

See, you guys are either too young (50) or too old (63).

It's a shame.

I'm 58. Joanne Whalley is 57.  

Cashback.

WHAT ????????????  I'm   too old at (63). This news is far worse than finding out Santa Claus ain't real

I thought I had another year to find out the answer as if to whether my imaginary long lost significant other will give me her answer to a question I have been waiting to ask her for 63 years .

"Give me your answer, fill in a form
Mine for evermore
Will you still need me, will you still feed me
When I'm sixty-four? "

Devastating  absolutely   Devastating news ....Oh well at least you are Lucky James being 58 ....that gives you a few years to go before you too become too old .

Say  that  Joanne Whalley does look pretty cute . I got to hand it to you James . You have good taste in emotive melodic guitar leads and women

all the best

Kenny

PS, BassDaddy's avatar was just a quick loaner for standing in as a cool smiley  . He was not harmed in any way lol.....

8 hours ago, BassDaddy said:

How cool is that?! I bet almost everyone has a guitar or amp out there they would like to get back. Good for you Kenny. That's a win for all the guitar players out there.

Great to see you around here BassDaddy

What you said was pretty encouraging . Yes I hope every body out there gets a win ..

1 hour ago, craigb said:

Space Cowboy has one of my custom guitars.  Hopefully I'll get the chance to see about getting it back someday.  The luthier who made all of my customs has one of the others and I know he's holding it aside for me...  Just more motivation for me to make some money!

I've heard you mention that before .....I hope you get it back ...

Right now I'm sitting here playing the worlds least expensive Epiphone Les Paul  , The Epiphone Les Paul S L .

I Love this thing  .

As you know I do have and Play A Historic Gibson Les Paul when the mood strike me ....the thing is , I love the fact that now a days even the worlds cheapest Les Paul the Epiphone Les Paul S L  coming in at the price of $119.00 can  in the right hands be a very good playing and sounding guitar for the player on the cheap ...

have a good one ,

Kenny

I had no idea Jose could play like this on the electric guitar ...

Seems I always thought  he was an acoustic kinda guy ..

Wow he is shredding better than some of these new guys that came up from the shred era .

Who Knew ?

Wow , I'm gonna go on an all expense paid guitar lick shopping spree and copy some of his playing on these 2 songs ,

I ain't no thief . I'm just a guitar lick recyclable type of player  

Kenny

1 hour ago, pwalpwal said:

fwiw 50 years ago i was literally still in the womb

 Are you saying you were actually in the womb waiting to be born 50 years ago ?

Or were you still swinging  with the boys  on you daddy's side watching him piss out fresh beer suds on unsuspecting tree's and low hanging bushes ?

Either way 50 years ago I was 13 years old ...by then my cherry was lost to my friends older sister , I already had my first couple of LP's , 

The next few years I started hitting the concerts ...Man I saw everybody ...I'm not kidding I saw everybody ..Regrettably the only Act I didn't see was Hendrix ...

Color me Old , Color me unwilling to Change but I would not trade a musical moment from back then for what's happening musically now ...

Now I'm not saying whatever they got going  on today in music is not good .

Kenny No Hablo that $hit ...

I like playing in a 3 to 5 piece band in an intimate space . I don't need 25 dancing acrobats clogging up the stage  while a Disney  quality light show is going one blinding me to death .

The only thing I'm not totally sure about is in a way I wouldn't mind one of those Hot Hoochie coochie female singers doing a twerk up close while I'm playing my guitar for a bunch of the senior citizens at the  Rest Home for Wayward Guitar Pickers and Bass Players ...

Hhhhhmmm Lady Ga Ga do you hear me ? I wub you ...if you ever decide to sit in w us please wear the becan dress ...me and the old boys would love to do lunch with you slurp slurp

Kenny

Oh Yeah  ,  I just got promoted and given a new spokes person position with the Proctor Gamble company  representing  Old Spice  .

The other fella moved on to other things . I wish him the best of Luck and much prosperity

 When I get done with this Old Spice Photo Shoot I'm going right after all that becan

Kenny

                                                                 Say , was that Daryl in the opening pic ?  If so it was nice to see a pic of Daryl ....

                                                                                              And now a message of Hope from Maurice 

Kenny

                                OK we have  The NAMM 2019 show and no mention of the updated bapu Version  2.0 .

                                                           Is it me or is The bapu 1.0 is getting a little long in the tooth

Kenny

That was a darn good Video interview ...

I like the fact that CLA is very outspoken and the he shoots from the hip.....

Kenny

On 1/30/2019 at 12:37 PM, paulo said:

I'm wondering how you fell about the top banner that reads  " Legendary American Achievements "   ...

FWIW, 50 Years ago all my favorite guitar players were from your side of the World ...then I back tracked and did my musical history.

have a good one , it is nice to see you here ,

Kenny

9 minutes ago, SteveStrummerUK said:

 

And with that, Ken wins the internet 😁

Hey Steve ,

 I did that little thing this morning while I was having my first few cups of coffee ...

Just looking to share a few laughs around .....

Say , it is nice seeing you here and getting to interact again

all the best ,

Kenny

all the best on unseeing that one ,

Kenny

The Heritage  H -530 perked my interest ..Tarzan Want .

all the best ,

Tarzan lol I mean Kenny

23 hours ago, Tobias said:

 

My 83 MIJ Squire plays as good as any guitar and I like the fact it has some years on it, and a very personal history for me. Never getting rid of that.

I feel the same way about my 84 MIJ Tele ...hey post a pic here if you feel like it ....

I may post a pic of mine in a day or two.

18 hours ago, James G said:

Nice one Kenny!

Jame's ,

A while back I seem to remember you had a Tele w 2 P 90's . I would Love to go there at some point myself .....

OK  since I had pulled the 86 MIJ Fender Esquire neck off the guitar and held on to it for all this time .I might as well show you what guitar I had put the neck on .

First here's the head stock ...remember I mentioned that my Esquire is an actual Fender made in JAPAN in 1986 not a Squier

Here's the guitar the neck is currently on

Ash bodied Korean made Samic Valley Arts Telecaster

have a good night guys ,

Kenny

11 hours ago, James G said:

I think ''How Now Fat Cart-Like Wench, Whither Goest Thou Inst Drawers So Fearfully Overpopulated'' may have been one of the more outre' numbers.

That or ''Turn of the Century Grape-shot Paranoia''

 

Hey Jame's ,

I'm gonna have to give that tune a listen after I get done reading the book you wrote .....

Kenny