Saw Kenny & Marty in Missoula, MT back in April '22. The level of professional musicianship was beyond anything I've ever seen before or since. True vitruosity and fun...didn't want them to stop.
What a gem. Kenny looks less than 50 but in a recent interview he talked about supporting a band in 68, so even if he was 18 then that would make him 73! Even if he was 15 in 68 it would make him 70! Otis, ask him what's his secret! He looks younger than me and I'm 52! 🙂
Kenny seems to be a fountain of guitar history. I hope that you have a lot more of him just rambling into a microphone. It's the best music history show going!
Ive been checkin out some of the youtube 'Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives' vids, where he leads. His punk retro classic country look is as 'killer' as his play. A gem of a legend previously unknown to me.
Between Kenny, Chris Scruggs, and Marty Stewart, the fabulous Superlatives could teach a PHD level class in music and guitar history. Sure would like to be a fly on the wall of their bus and listen in on the conversations...talk about something that should be in the Library of Congress!
Absolutely! I often think about these guys talking to each other, swapping stories and gold-dust musical history. I hope at least one of them is writing a big fat book!
I got to see Les Paul at Fat Tuesdays ages ago. He played so great! And was hilarious. He told a story about him and Bing Crosby smokin Weed that was a riot. I used to record shows back then on a Walkman stereo mic recorder. I still have the tape somewhere in my closet. A perfect recording that I should transfer to digital.
@@whiskeycitydiggers Thanks man. I haven't posted much at all although I have a ton of great concert clips and recordings but I'll try to get it digitized and uploaded at some point.
Years ago I read an article by some guy who interviewed Les Paul, late in his life, at his home in NJ. When the guy walked into the house he noticed at first that it was kinda messy ... then he realized that the "mess" was all kinds of electronic stuff that Les invented for guitars and amps. The whole house was packed with the stuff.
Kenny remembers every gig he's played or seen. And he can tell you who was in the band and the weather. I'm about his age and I don't know what I had for dinner yesterday.
I've said it before and I repeat: I can stand a lot of Kenny Vaughan sharing data points like a fella'd dish out M&M's LOL. What a brilliant mind, a gift of memory and recall, matched by his musical brilliance.
I just returned from 'Wildwood Springs' Resort in Steelville, Mo where the Marty Stewart and the Fabulous Superalitives performed Saturday night Sept 30 2023. In my 64+ years of concerts, starting with the late great Johnny Cash when I was but eight years old, I have never been treated to a better performance!! It was mostly an acoustic evening, with Professor Chris Struggs dazzling the crowd on his stand-up bass and Cousin Kenny Vaughn treated us with a virtuoso performance backing and playing lead guitar for the great Marty Stuart! Thank YOU Otis, for your wonderful interviews with the very BEST performers of our generation such as with 'Cousin Kenny Vaughn' whose presence inspired my trip to Steelville and the amazing venue that IS Wildwood Springs!!
Kenny Vaughan is a walking library of music and information. I could sit for days listening to him talk about music and the people he has played with and met.
Huge Kenny Vaughan fan. He's comfortable around you. It's a great interview because you just let him talk. I like it when I see a true afficionado getting into what makes them tick. Excellent content.
Mary Ford was LP's wife, incredibly talented lady. Yep, the two of them were music/recording Royalty in the 1950s. Thanks to the both of you for these guitar treats.
I've said it before: but Otis, these interviews should be preserved in like the Library of Congress or something. When these guys are gone, so are these stories. These historical stories. I remember everybody's little jokes and stories. But when I die, those stories die with me. Now, my stories aren't as important or interesting as the ones you have recorded here. But where else will you hear Kenny Vaughan talking about John Prine or Les Paul making fun of Chet Atkins, lol when your recordings are gone, so are these stories. Again, I thank you for your channel and your time and effort to put all this together. I have learned so much and been exposed to so much music and knowledge that you can't just pick up on the radio or some Vh1 behind the music documentary. Thanks, Otis, you rock ! And thank you, Kenny Vaughn, for being you and sharing your life experiences with us. In my book you are a national treasure !
The is a very good DVD called Les Paul- Chasing Sound which is a documentary featuring Les Paul talking about all the things Kenny mentions. Some of Les's equipment is now in the Smithsonian. Very interesting.
Man Otis your channel has turned into my favorite thing on UA-cam. There’s real musicians talking about real things and it just has this “feels like home” quality to it that I look forward to watching when I get off work. As a fellow Hoosier I’m glad there’s others out there that wanna keep this kind of music alive for years to come.
I saw Les Paul at the Iridium. He was probably 90; it was when he was playing one day per week. He sounded great! He also spent a lot of time flirting with a middle aged platinum blonde lady with big boobs. He was hilarious.
Hi Otis .Love listening to kenny's stories. He is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to music. you can see by the way he plays guitar that he absolutely lives it. Could listen to him all day. Great guy and killer player.
Great stories from master Kenny! Ironically Les Paul models should’ve been Epiphones originally. Les Paul made The Log out of an Epiphone archtop at the Epiphone factory on West 14th St in NY on Sundays. The owners were his friends and let him use the shop on Sundays. Not only that but Gibson rejected Les Paul’s first proposal to build it. Had it not been for Fender’s success with the Broadcasters, Nocasters and early Telecasters…..
God, these interviews are just fantastic. Thank you. I saw Les Paul at the Iridium but left after a song or two because it was in a basement with only one stair leading down. And the place was packed to the gills and I just thought, if there’s a fire in here we’re all toast. So I left. Dang.
I love Kenny. As for the Les Paul Recording model, Terry Kath from Chicago played the heck out of one of those for the first 4 or 5 albums (along with a Strat and an SG). Can't think of anyone else.
This clip-full of Les Paul stories, this is one for the time capsule. Send copies to the Library of Congress, Smithsonian, and Berklee too. Preserve this knowledge at all costs. I grew up with Tascam 4-track cassette decks. The older technique ala Beatles/Hendrix/Brian Wilson of using 2 tape decks to ping-pong and build tracks sounded like such an archaic burden. But bouncing tracks using 2 cutting lathes... crazy, man!
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The George Barnes/Les Paul duo (11:06) must've been one hell of a live act! I saw Les Paul had a weekly gig for a while in NY (late 80's) - had to be a couple years I'd see it listed in Village Voice. I wish I'd gone - but I kinda felt like he'd always be around. I was young and didn't quite get the idea that one day I'd really wish I'd seen such a historical guitarist (+ it was like home base for him). RE: @5:37, "I don't know if that's a true story..." about the cop letting Les Paul go - I sure believe it's true he got pulled over. Every time I'd drive through Jersey to NYC I had to fear the dreaded lights of the State cops. Bastards!
Man, when we were kids ( maybe 78 or 79), my buddy bought a 1957 Les Paul Jr. For like 150 bucks. It was a sun burst, but the back was all scratched up, so he refinished it, some dark walnut stain or something. Still sounded great. it just didn't look as cool.
I bought a hospital bed for a sick relative from a very nice very old woman who was somehow related to Les Paul's lawyer or accounting firm. I was always wondered the exact story of why Les divorced Mary Ford. She said Les had been on the road, came home a day early and caught her in flagantre delectro with some kind of handyman. As in --- on the kitchen table. BUT near the end of his life they were kind to each other and Les never tried to harm her reputation. It was a different time...
That story is true. Another one is that this affair led to a divorce, and that is why the Les Paul model was discontinued after 1963. Apparently, Les didn't want Ford to get more revenue out of the divorce., which was dragged out. After the settlement, Gibson restarted the Les Paul models.
Ralph Emery ask Tony Rice once..😊.. "Tony what is flatpicking"? Tony said (while holding up a tortoise shell pick) "Well this is a flat pick and the rest is self explanatory"!!
Can you comment on the story about Les Paul telling Bing Crosby about an idea of multitrack recording and equipment needed the following day Crosby shows up at Paul’s house with a trunk load of equipment. Paul put together multi track recording for the first time. Could be an urban legend, but it’s a good story just the same.
Les Paul's messing with other guitar players was his way of showing respect in a roundabout way. There's a video on UA-cam of Les Paul onstage with Jeff Beck, and while Beck was playing as a goof Les Paul yanks the chord from Jeff's guitar, kind of like saying in a joking way "you're so good you're showing me up."
Thats how I had thought about the Gibson Les Paul. Les didn't really design it he designed the log with the fake guitar body wings that attached to the solid log. Les Paul was endorsing the Gibson les Paul having his name on it. Gibson said they would drop him and Mary if they were seen playing any other brand guitar other then the Gibson. Also heard that Les pauls lawyer told him not to have his name on the new SG anymore as he was going through divorcing Mary and didn't want her able to be awarded more Money in the divorce with Les endorsing the new Les Paul SG.
Have to disagree about the gibson country gent. The original issue with the maple center block is a beast. Fabulous sustain. The next version with the balsa center is a different animal.
Kenny Vaughan is the gift that keeps on giving
Amen 🙏🏼
Saw Kenny & Marty in Missoula, MT back in April '22. The level of professional musicianship was beyond anything I've ever seen before or since. True vitruosity and fun...didn't want them to stop.
What a gem. Kenny looks less than 50 but in a recent interview he talked about supporting a band in 68, so even if he was 18 then that would make him 73! Even if he was 15 in 68 it would make him 70! Otis, ask him what's his secret! He looks younger than me and I'm 52! 🙂
Kenny seems to be a fountain of guitar history. I hope that you have a lot more of him just rambling into a microphone. It's the best music history show going!
Agreed wholeheartedly.
Amen!!!
Ive been checkin out some of the youtube 'Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives' vids, where he leads. His punk retro classic country look is as 'killer' as his play. A gem of a legend previously unknown to me.
Thank you so much Otis for these wonderful interviews with Kenny Vaughn! He is like a walking encyclopedia of guitar riffs and who's who!
Kenny knows everything and is right about everything.
Between Kenny, Chris Scruggs, and Marty Stewart, the fabulous Superlatives could teach a PHD level class in music and guitar history. Sure would like to be a fly on the wall of their bus and listen in on the conversations...talk about something that should be in the Library of Congress!
Absolutely! I often think about these guys talking to each other, swapping stories and gold-dust musical history. I hope at least one of them is writing a big fat book!
Love Kenny Vaughn... His playing will keep you humble, yet..he is so humble.
Kenny Vaughn has the best story telling expressions
The secret underground room with the people in space suits guarding Les Pauls is a rad story.
I got to see Les Paul at Fat Tuesdays ages ago. He played so great! And was hilarious. He told a story about him and Bing Crosby smokin Weed that was a riot. I used to record shows back then on a Walkman stereo mic recorder. I still have the tape somewhere in my closet. A perfect recording that I should transfer to digital.
You just got a subscriber hoping to hear that someday.
@@whiskeycitydiggers Thanks man. I haven't posted much at all although I have a ton of great concert clips and recordings but I'll try to get it digitized and uploaded at some point.
Please do!
@@garrettbarley3391 I'll do my best to get it digitized.
Years ago I read an article by some guy who interviewed Les Paul, late in his life, at his home in NJ. When the guy walked into the house he noticed at first that it was kinda messy ... then he realized that the "mess" was all kinds of electronic stuff that Les invented for guitars and amps. The whole house was packed with the stuff.
Kenny remembers every gig he's played or seen. And he can tell you who was in the band and the weather.
I'm about his age and I don't know what I had for dinner yesterday.
Kenny is full of great guitar history stories! His interviews are amazing! Thank for sharing with us Kenny!
I've said it before and I repeat: I can stand a lot of Kenny Vaughan sharing data points like a fella'd dish out M&M's LOL. What a brilliant mind, a gift of memory and recall, matched by his musical brilliance.
No matter how long the Kenny Vaughn videos, I’m always disappointed when they end
Kenny is a real treasure, Otis is so good at letting folks talk,and tell a story. Appreciate the awesome tales from our heroes.
I just returned from 'Wildwood Springs' Resort in Steelville, Mo where the Marty Stewart and the Fabulous Superalitives performed Saturday night Sept 30 2023.
In my 64+ years of concerts, starting with the late great Johnny Cash when I was but eight years old, I have never been treated to a better performance!!
It was mostly an acoustic evening, with Professor Chris Struggs dazzling the crowd on his stand-up bass and Cousin Kenny Vaughn treated us with a virtuoso performance backing and playing lead guitar for the great Marty Stuart!
Thank YOU Otis, for your wonderful interviews with the very BEST performers of our generation such as with 'Cousin Kenny Vaughn' whose presence inspired my trip to Steelville and the amazing venue that IS Wildwood Springs!!
Kenny Vaughan is a walking library of music and information. I could sit for days listening to him talk about music and the people he has played with and met.
How does someone become this this encyclopedic about his profession?????? ❤ Thank you endlessly Otis for these interviews!!
Librarian here. I’d guess he’s a prolific reader.
I think you’re RIGHT !!!
Kenny and Chris Scruggs are a wealth of music information
Question to Kenny & Chris Scruggs - what books do they think are the best about the history of guitars ?! TIA
@@thomasmoore1003and KILLER musicians!!!
Huge Kenny Vaughan fan. He's comfortable around you. It's a great interview because you just let him talk. I like it when I see a true afficionado getting into what makes them tick. Excellent content.
I could listen to Kenny's stories forever. Keep em coming
Mary Ford was LP's wife, incredibly talented lady. Yep, the two of them were music/recording Royalty in the 1950s. Thanks to the both of you for these guitar treats.
I could listen to Kenny tell stories for weeks on end. He's just the best!
I've said it before: but Otis, these interviews should be preserved in like the Library of Congress or something. When these guys are gone, so are these stories. These historical stories. I remember everybody's little jokes and stories. But when I die, those stories die with me. Now, my stories aren't as important or interesting as the ones you have recorded here. But where else will you hear Kenny Vaughan talking about John Prine or Les Paul making fun of Chet Atkins, lol when your recordings are gone, so are these stories. Again, I thank you for your channel and your time and effort to put all this together. I have learned so much and been exposed to so much music and knowledge that you can't just pick up on the radio or some Vh1 behind the music documentary. Thanks, Otis, you rock ! And thank you, Kenny Vaughn, for being you and sharing your life experiences with us. In my book you are a national treasure !
Hearing Kenny Vaughan tell these wonderful stories is like heaven to li'l ol' guitar playing me.
Kenny is the coolest dude… I can see him and Mike Campbell geeking out over old Gibsons…
The is a very good DVD called Les Paul- Chasing Sound which is a documentary featuring Les Paul talking about all the things Kenny mentions. Some of Les's equipment is now in the Smithsonian. Very interesting.
Man Otis your channel has turned into my favorite thing on UA-cam. There’s real musicians talking about real things and it just has this “feels like home” quality to it that I look forward to watching when I get off work. As a fellow Hoosier I’m glad there’s others out there that wanna keep this kind of music alive for years to come.
I saw Les Paul at the Iridium. He was probably 90; it was when he was playing one day per week. He sounded great! He also spent a lot of time flirting with a middle aged platinum blonde lady with big boobs. He was hilarious.
Even David Gilmour, so identified with Strats, has said that a number of his classic Pink Floyd lead parts were on his old goldtop Les Paul.
Damn that Tele playing cowboy know his Pauls! Alright Kenny
Always love Kenny's stories...
I'd love to hear him talk about Bill Frisell.
Thanks so much for these, Otis. As you can tell, we never get tired of listening to Kenny.
Thanks for letting us hang out with our virtual best friend Kenny
I love the “goin outta business concert” quote 😆😆
Thanks, that was timely. I was about to go into Kenny withdrawals.
Kenny is the dude. Best country player I've ever heard. I'm curious what other styles he's into.
Hi Otis .Love listening to kenny's stories. He is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to music. you can see by the way he plays guitar that he absolutely lives it. Could listen to him all day. Great guy and killer player.
👍Les is more....
LOL
Nice
MORE KENNy !!!! I could listen to him talk about wallpaper for the whole day..
Great stories from master Kenny! Ironically Les Paul models should’ve been Epiphones originally. Les Paul made The Log out of an Epiphone archtop at the Epiphone factory on West 14th St in NY on Sundays. The owners were his friends and let him use the shop on Sundays. Not only that but Gibson rejected Les Paul’s first proposal to build it. Had it not been for Fender’s success with the Broadcasters, Nocasters and early Telecasters…..
Love these Kenny Vaughn interviews. Thanks, Otis!
God, these interviews are just fantastic. Thank you. I saw Les Paul at the Iridium but left after a song or two because it was in a basement with only one stair leading down. And the place was packed to the gills and I just thought, if there’s a fire in here we’re all toast. So I left. Dang.
Kenny is a treasure.
KV needs to be in the various Hall of Fames❤🎶🎶🎶🎶
I love Kenny. As for the Les Paul Recording model, Terry Kath from Chicago played the heck out of one of those for the first 4 or 5 albums (along with a Strat and an SG). Can't think of anyone else.
Thank you Otis and Kenny ☮
Thanks very much for this video,I could listen to Kenny Vaughn all day
Always great to hear from cousin Kenny
I had a '69 Les Paul Deluxe that I had to sell. I had to choose between keeping the guitar or keeping the house. It broke my heart.
This clip-full of Les Paul stories, this is one for the time capsule.
Send copies to the Library of Congress, Smithsonian, and Berklee too. Preserve this knowledge at all costs.
I grew up with Tascam 4-track cassette decks. The older technique ala Beatles/Hendrix/Brian Wilson of using 2 tape decks to ping-pong and build tracks sounded like such an archaic burden. But bouncing tracks using 2 cutting lathes... crazy, man!
Love kenny’s stories.
Love all these interviews with Kenny!
I love listening to Kenny! Thank you fellas!
Kenny❤ I chose the left side of the stage which I will be watching you from in Napa California next month. can’t wait can’t wait!!
Fckn fantastic!
I could probably listen to Kenny Vaughan talk about a tuning peg for hours. These interviews contain serious knowledge!!! Thanks Otis and KV
Love to hear about Kenny’s stories and experiences. Thanks!!
ya gotta love cousin Kenny
Kenny, please find someone to write these stories. With love from Detroit!
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this is awesome
The George Barnes/Les Paul duo (11:06) must've been one hell of a live act! I saw Les Paul had a weekly gig for a while in NY (late 80's) - had to be a couple years I'd see it listed in Village Voice. I wish I'd gone - but I kinda felt like he'd always be around. I was young and didn't quite get the idea that one day I'd really wish I'd seen such a historical guitarist (+ it was like home base for him). RE: @5:37, "I don't know if that's a true story..." about the cop letting Les Paul go - I sure believe it's true he got pulled over. Every time I'd drive through Jersey to NYC I had to fear the dreaded lights of the State cops. Bastards!
Man, when we were kids ( maybe 78 or 79), my buddy bought a 1957 Les Paul Jr. For like 150 bucks. It was a sun burst, but the back was all scratched up, so he refinished it, some dark walnut stain or something. Still sounded great. it just didn't look as cool.
Good interview Im wondering what Kenny didnt like about the Gibson Chet Atkins series guitars ?
I own a Gibson SST one of my fav Elect Acc guitars
Kenny Vaughan, AKA Cousin Kenny!
I bought a hospital bed for a sick relative from a very nice very old woman who was somehow related to Les Paul's lawyer or accounting firm. I was always wondered the exact story of why Les divorced Mary Ford. She said Les had been on the road, came home a day early and caught her in flagantre delectro with some kind of handyman. As in --- on the kitchen table. BUT near the end of his life they were kind to each other and Les never tried to harm her reputation. It was a different time...
That story is true. Another one is that this affair led to a divorce, and that is why the Les Paul model was discontinued after 1963. Apparently, Les didn't want Ford to get more revenue out of the divorce., which was dragged out. After the settlement, Gibson restarted the Les Paul models.
Love Kenny!!! When is Marty Stuart gonna come on here? I think it would be rad!!!
Ralph Emery ask Tony Rice once..😊.. "Tony what is flatpicking"? Tony said (while holding up a tortoise shell pick) "Well this is a flat pick and the rest is self explanatory"!!
Can you comment on the story about Les Paul telling Bing Crosby about an idea of multitrack recording and equipment needed the following day Crosby shows up at Paul’s house with a trunk load of equipment. Paul put together multi track recording for the first time. Could be an urban legend, but it’s a good story just the same.
Missed a chance to see Les in NYC in the mid 80's.
Its high on my list of regrets. 😐
Les Paul's messing with other guitar players was his way of showing respect in a roundabout way. There's a video on UA-cam of Les Paul onstage with Jeff Beck, and while Beck was playing as a goof Les Paul yanks the chord from Jeff's guitar, kind of like saying in a joking way "you're so good you're showing me up."
You can Trang a LesPaul with a good compresser and eq with the high frequencies turn back.
Otis ask Kenny some Roy Buecannan stories ??
The professor
Thats how I had thought about the Gibson Les Paul. Les didn't really design it he designed the log with the fake guitar body wings that attached to the solid log. Les Paul was endorsing the Gibson les Paul having his name on it. Gibson said they would drop him and Mary if they were seen playing any other brand guitar other then the Gibson. Also heard that Les pauls lawyer told him not to have his name on the new SG anymore as he was going through divorcing Mary and didn't want her able to be awarded more Money in the divorce with Les endorsing the new Les Paul SG.
Hey! Kenny just insulted my Guitar! Gibson SST!.. Acoustic ish.. Electric ish.. sounds killer! Still dig ya Kenny!
Chet said one time Les took his thumb pick and threw it in the audience.
gibson guitars are indeed the best
Have to disagree about the gibson country gent. The original issue with the maple center block is a beast. Fabulous sustain. The next version with the balsa center is a different animal.
👌👌😎
Los straightjackets
How much would a '59 Les Paul that doesn't sound good be worth?
That’s why he got the guitar for free, it was crap.
Wow brilliant i love the energy in country music.
Interesting way Roly uses the harp, angled i guess to get those unique subtle tones, love it.
the most understated,interesting interviewee i have heard a font of knowledge