KERN PRATT
GREENVILLE, MS….WHAT ABOUT YOU?
ENDLESS BLUES RECORDS KPEBR 1032019
LOVING THAT FEELING–HARD WORKING MAN–BABY’S GOT ANOTHER LOVER–TORN BETWEEN LOVE AND HATE–SOMETHING’S GONE WRONG–RITA–WAY SHE WEARS HER CLOTHES–NOLA–WHATCHA GONNA DO?–CHICKEN HEADS
Guitarist/vocalist/composer Kern Pratt is the natch’l born embodiment of today’s contemporary blues. Growing up in Greenville, he was surrounded by the sounds of Little Milton, Bobby Rush, and tons of others that put the blues in his soul. His latest set for Endless Blues Records is entitled, “Greenville, MS…What About You,” and features a “Who’s Who” in today’s blues as guest players, including Jeff Jensen, Bill Ruffino, Shannon Goree, and a slew of others.
The funk sho’ nuff hits the fan on the opening cut, featuring Chris Gill on slide guitar as Kern is “Loving That Feeling,” of recalling past good times!. We all know he’s a “Hard Working, hard-lovin’ Man,” guaranteed to give you more than just a one-night stand! This one features keys from the legend, Clayton Ivey. Kern positively wails on the slow-burn of fellow Mississippian Mick Kolassa’s “Baby’s Got Another Lover,” a song dealing with a lover’s addiction, while he composed “Something’s Gone Wrong” after a fight with his lover during the process of making this record. It’s another excellent slow-blues, and the added horn section recalls vintage Little Milton.
It’s juke joint Saturday night on the rockin’ “love the Way She Wears Her Clothes,” and the good times just keep rollin’ with the guitar-centric frenzy of “Whatcha Gonna Do when your man is gone?”
We had two favorites. Another poignant ode to addiction and its final and fatal consequences is “Rita don’t live here any more,” with Denise Owen on the duet vocals. This one was written by another great keys man, one of our best friends for many years, Nashville’s own Larry Van Loon. The set closes with a stone party, as the wah-wah kicks @$$ all over the place with a lowdown cover of Bobby Rush’s “Chicken Heads!” Kern is joined here by Jeff Jensen, Bill Ruffino, David Green and Denise Owen.
Kern Pratt’s daddy ran the Western Auto store in beautiful downtown Greenville, and the day Kern saw the flyer for the 1980 Mississippi Blues And Heritage Festival, the young man was hooked for good! Kern writes from personal experience, which is what we love about him. That makes his playing and singing honest and from the heart, and, myself, I’m ’bout ready to head south to “Greenville, MS…What About You?” Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow, The Nashville Blues And Roots Alliance.
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