I don't know how many of you watch the Marty Stuart Show on RFD-TV or if you've seen him play in other venues, but I've come to the conclusion that Marty's guitarist "Cousin" Kenny Vaughan is just about the best country guitar picker on the scene right now. The man can flat make his guitar stand up and talk, plus, he's about as cool as they come. Sometimes he'll really get into the music and make faces and dance around, while other times, for no reason at all he'll play with this casual, almost expressionless demeanor. He's always in a Nudie suit and brightly colored cowboy boots, wears thick black-rimmed glasses, and generally sports a big cowboy hat.
Here's a great video of Marty & the Fabulous Superlatives performing "Country Boy Rock & Roll" on the Craig Ferguson Show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7Qr3romi9U
Here's a live performance where Kenny also sings lead vocals on "Country Music's Got a Hold on Me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGZ0TFPcN2k&NR=1
Here's a live performance of the band's theme song, "La Tingo Tango" (which, as an aside, is just a darned cool song): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jelNEjhInc
My favorite Cousin Kenny picking comes from the Superlatives' cover of Johnny Cash's "Luther Played the Boogie". They played this on the Marty Show a few months back and Kenny absolutely rocked the house with it. Here's a live performance of the boys jamming out on the song at a country music festival in France: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tudQQB1aVp4&feature=PlayList&p=ADCEF020411526AE&index=14
I think it's really impressive that, in putting a band together, Marty went out and hired a guitar picking superstar. Marty himself is one heck of a guitar player (as well as mandolin and a few other instruments) and some bandleaders who are also accomplished guitarists might not want to hire another accomplished guitarist, but Marty seems to have no problem letting Cousin Kenny shine on the lead guitar.
Here's a great video of Marty & the Fabulous Superlatives performing "Country Boy Rock & Roll" on the Craig Ferguson Show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7Qr3romi9U
Here's a live performance where Kenny also sings lead vocals on "Country Music's Got a Hold on Me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGZ0TFPcN2k&NR=1
Here's a live performance of the band's theme song, "La Tingo Tango" (which, as an aside, is just a darned cool song): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jelNEjhInc
My favorite Cousin Kenny picking comes from the Superlatives' cover of Johnny Cash's "Luther Played the Boogie". They played this on the Marty Show a few months back and Kenny absolutely rocked the house with it. Here's a live performance of the boys jamming out on the song at a country music festival in France: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tudQQB1aVp4&feature=PlayList&p=ADCEF020411526AE&index=14
I think it's really impressive that, in putting a band together, Marty went out and hired a guitar picking superstar. Marty himself is one heck of a guitar player (as well as mandolin and a few other instruments) and some bandleaders who are also accomplished guitarists might not want to hire another accomplished guitarist, but Marty seems to have no problem letting Cousin Kenny shine on the lead guitar.