From the heart of American roots music

Widely regarded as a leading light of traditional American music for almost thirty years, Kelly Joe Phelps comes to Arlington Arts tonight (Friday). This comes following over six months off from playing his guitar due to suffering from nerve damage in his right forearm.
Kelly Joe made his name in the UK with an appearance on Later… with Jools Holland in 2000. Since then his following here has been fanatical and continually growing with every tour he has made. His intense, mesmeric playing and soulful voice make him a perfect interpreter of traditional pre-war blues and gospel, as well as his own compositions, which move the genre forward into the twenty-first century. This combination of modern songwriting and respect for the roots of American music gives a completely compelling live experience.
Since his debut album ‘Lead Me On’, came out in 1994, the Pacific Northwest based singer and songwriter has written and performed some of the most compelling slide guitar based music ever recorded. His new album ‘Brother Sinner and the Whale’ has allowed Phelps to redefine who he is as an artist with a solo record that builds on all of his lyrical, compositional and technical strengths to form the best album of his career.
Tickets, priced just £12 are available from the Box Office on 01635 244246, online via

and from Mary Hare Hearing Centre, Weaver’s Walk, Newbury.