Keb Mo
Keb’ Mo’ has just released Oklahoma, his first solo studio album since BLUESAmericana (2014). Building on the backbone of the Blues with subjects like depression and love, Mo’ also addresses current worldly issues like immigration and environmental degradation.
Following his 2018 Grammy Award-winning collaboration with Taj Mahal, TajMo (2017), Glide magazine predicts, “another Grammy awaits,” calling Oklahoma “the most personal and adventurous album he’s made.”
Rock and Blues Muse says, “There’s nothing better to heal your soul than a Keb’ Mo’ concert. With storytelling at the heart of his songs, Keb’ is not just an outstanding guitar player, singer-songwriter, but a great entertainer.”
Overall, Oklahoma (which Keb’ has dedicated to his late mother, Lauvella Cole, who passed away in September 2018 at the age of 91) maintains an impressive level of emotional engagement throughout, making it one of his most compelling collections. With noted musical veteran Colin Linden (The Band, Bruce Cockburn) heading up production duties, the album’s 10 tracks encompass Keb’ Mo’s diverse talents, with the artist delivering some of the most adventurous and personal work of his career. Oklahoma (Concord Records) features cameos from Taj Mahal, Rosanne Cash, Robert Randolph, Jaci Velasquez and Keb’ Mo’s wife, Robbie Brooks Moore.
In his quarter-century as a recording artist, the charismatic singer/guitarist/ songwriter and four-time Grammy Award winner has consistently made music that reflects his own passions and interests. In the process, he’s earned a reputation for his ability to draw upon his bottomless roots-music expertise to make deeply expressive, highly personal music.
Over the past two decades, Keb’ Mo’ has cultivated a reputation as a modern master of American roots music through the understated excellence of his live and studio performances. His most recent project, TajMo, is a cross-generational collaboration with legendary blues musician Taj Mahal that merges the two artists’ distinctive voices and guitar styles. The project, which won the 2018 Grammy for ‘Best Contemporary Blues Album,’ features guest appearances by Sheila E., Joe Walsh, Lizz Wright and Bonnie Raitt.
B.B. King, Buddy Guy, the Dixie Chicks, Joe Cocker, Robert Palmer and Tom Jones have all recorded his songs.
His guitar playing has inspired leading instrument makers Gibson Brands to issue the Keb’ Mo’ Signature Bluesmaster acoustic guitar and Martin Guitars to issue the HD-28KM Keb’ Mo’ Limited Edition Signature model.
He has collaborated with a host of artists, including Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Brown, Cassandra Wilson, Buddy Guy, Amy Grant, Solomon Burke, Little Milton and many others. Keb’ also wrote and performed the theme song for the smash sitcom, Mike & Molly, and was music composer for TV’s Memphis Beat.
He has also been featured in TV and film, playing Robert Johnson in the 1998 documentary Can’t You Hear The Wind Howl, appeared three times on the television series, Touched By an Angel, and was the ghostly bluesman Possum in John Sayles’ 2007 movie, Honeydripper. Keb’ is very involved with the Playing For Change movement, which was created to inspire, connect and bring peace to the world through music. He has been involved with Playing For Change since its inception and has been featured in many related videos and events.
Hailed internationally as one of the greatest Blues artists of his generation, Keb’ Mo’ continues to tour globally with dates currently booked in Europe and across the United States. For a full list of tour dates, visit <kebmo.com/tour>.
