EDDIE K
What were your musical beginnings?
For as long as I can remember, I loved guitar. I think I was playing air guitar to Beatle albums since I was able to stand. Around 8 years old I started taking lessons, I still remember playing 'Jingle Bells' from 'Alfreds Guitar Method Book 1' at a lesson. I made it through a few books and gave up lessons after a couple of years. By then I had a bunch of older guitar playing buds who taught me some tunes, chords and soloing basics. I was having more fun playing that stuff than I was sight reading those old tunes from the lesson books.
When did pedal steel and dobro enter the picture?
In my early teens. I grew up around a few older guitar players and there was always a jam happening somewhere, at least a few times a week. There just seemed to be too many guitars, so I looked for other instruments to add to the mix. I put in a lot of playing time back then, by the time i was 16 or 17, I had 8 years of guitar playing and 3 or 4 years of pedal steel under my belt. It was the pedal steel that got me my first gig.
What was your first gig?
A friend of mine Wade Rose (who passed away December 23, 2002) was playing in his dads country band (Country Honey). His dad owned a club and sometimes we got to practice on stage when his dad had his bands gear set up on stage. I was playing steel along with Wade (on guitar and vocals) and the bass player from his dads band. His dad came in and took a seat at a table for a bit, then offered me a gig every Friday and Saturday. At the age of 17, I felt I hit the big time playing all these clubs every weekend, good crowds and the cash was decent too. I enjoy playing steel but what I really wanted to do was play guitar. Eventually I joined a new band starting up as the lead guitarist and did some steel work too. They did music that was more to my liking, The Dead, Allmans, New Riders. Once that band began booking, I jumped ship and went with them full time. We played out heavily for years.
What gear were you using back then?
Throughout the 70's I was using a Fender Tele and Twin Reverb. I usually used some type of overdrive pedal as boost for solos and slide work. Somewhere along the line I added an analog delay and envelop follower too. Near the late 70's and early 80's, I used a Krammer DMZ2000. One of those aluminum neck jobs with the cool 'V' headstock. I bought that thing because it looked so cool, it turned out to be overly bright and would go out of tune easily. I went back to my trusty Tele. For steel I was using an S10 Sho-Bud Pro I through another Twin that had the 2 twelves removed and an Altec 15" stuck in there.
Over the next few years you went from 'jam' bands and country to rock and roll, what brought on those changes?
Well, getting married and having 2 kids brought a heavy gig schedule to a hault. By then I was ready for a break too. I spent a lot of late evenings practicing and learning theory. You are what you eat also, I was listening to a lot of the 80's guitar heros, starting with Van Halen.
Once the the kids were older, I had a bunch of originals and my chops were in pretty good shape. I started or joined a few original bands that started as studio projects and eventually started filling the gig schedule with those acts.
At the start of those recording sessions I was using Ibanez 'super strats' through Marshall amps. By the time those bands hit the stage, I was using a bunch of rack gear. That enabled me to duplicate live the processing that was done to my tracks in the studio. I also switched to Boogie amps for more clean headroom.
These were original acts, how were they recieved?
They were primarily original acts, we did a few covers. I hit the stage again in 'Cold Steel Rain', we had a album out and had some airplay and radio interviews. Back then there were a few clubs that supported original acts, we did OK there. There was a ton of tension in that band so it was short lived. I stuck with guitarist/vocalist Ed Romain and we formed 'Helen's Eyes' who did another album.
From there you went back to the style of music you originally started playing, what happened?
Since the beginning, I was a sideman. I had to rely on other people to get gigs. Up to this point, I sang a lot of backing vocals but very little lead. I picked up the acoustic and dedicated all my practice time to learning songs, essentially working on becoming a single act and/or the ability to drive the show. From a sideman to a frontman.
I was also offered a pedal steel gig (thanks to Wade Rose) with 'Old Friends' a well established country/bluegrass band that was gigging heavy and drawing huge crowds. I left the original bands behind.
Since my primary gig was on pedal steel, I started a few side projects that I fronted, just to get my voice in shape and get some rehearsal mode in. This is when I got turned on to Paul Reed Smith guitars. I plugged one straight into a Boogie and that was it. The racks were retired.
The Old Friends gig gave me lots of exposure, the association helped out all my side projects. Meanwhile, my focus changed from being a lead guitarist to being a singer/guitarist. Something I now wish I started on years ago. I was also putting in many more hours on acoustic guitar too. By the time the Old Friends gig came to an end. I was involved with a few other acts as a singer/guitarist that were also doing well, 'Wand'ring Aloud', 'Rusty Roses' and my own act/band 'Eddie K and Friends'.
When did Melancon guitars enter the picture?
For acoustic guitars, I've always been a Martin man but Paul Reed Smith guitars got me into high end electrics. Then I discovered internet forums and GAS (Gear Aquisition Syndrome). I bought and sold a bunch of guitars back then. I spent a lot of time looking for that magic rig. I was heavily into PRS guitars but on stage, I found that I was playing against another guy using a PRS or a Gibson. I wanted a guitar that would compliment, not sound like what they were using. I started using a PRS Swamp Ash Special, but my son loved that guitar so it became his. I used the internet as a reference of new guitars to try. In the end I found net reviews to be overly positive and mostly full of new gear novelty. I also discovered that a fancy top, fit and finish and a hefty price tag does not mean that a guitar 'has it'. I found a few high end brands that should have had everything but were lame in the sonic department. I was really getting into some new Anderson guitars when I played my first Melancon. A P90 Artist, I had to have it.
I've been quite lucky to live close to Magdon Music, they have killer stock and Jack and Mike have gone out of their way keeping me rocking. They had just become a Melancon dealer and that P90 Artist was the first Melancon they got in, it never made it too the racks.
Wade Rose was a high profile player back then, he was also another long time PRS guy. I turned him on to Melancon's as well. We knew that between Wade and myself, after being long time PRS guys, switching to another guitar would get some attention. We dug our Melancons, Gerard seemed to be a down to earth 'good guy', Jack and the Magdon crew are all good friends, we decided to help promote the new line. Jack hooked up with Gerard and both Wade and myself wound with endorsement deals with Melancon guitars. Making the switch to Melancons did get the attention of players. We moved a bunch of Mels that first year. It was easy though, they are rockin guitars.
Today a Melancon Custom Artist T (H/H) is my main gig axe, that through my Soldano has been my rig of choice for over a year now.
What does the future hold for Eddie K?
I currently have four acts on the road, 'Wand'ring Aloud', 'Rusty Roses', 'Something Strange' and 'Eddie K and Friends'. That keeps me quite busy and keeps the schedule full. It also helps keep each band fresh. I get a taste of different styles, set ups and people night after night. When I am just with one band, it turns into the same old thing night after night. I'm also working on bringing my son out in an act or two, he is becoming one heck of a player these days. I don't see any gear changes on the horizon. I dig those magic moments on stage. As long as I've got a schedule full of shows with some great players I'm a happy camper. There are a few clubs in my area that have some of my (or my bands) CD's in their jukeboxes. Every time I go in, even if its just to hang out, someone plays them. That's cool.
For more info check out Eddie's website.