01:45 Miner welcomes Kenny Neal, part of local Louisiana music scene, oldest of musical family of 10 children. His father, Raful Neal, was a full time musician until disco came in and supplanted the blues. Always around music growing up, the blues. Slim Harpo gave him a harmonica. Buddy Guy, who’s from Baton Rouge, asked him to come play in Chicago in 1976. Stayed with Guy and Junior Wells for about six years then moved to Toronto from 1979 to 1985, before returning to Louisiana. Miner recalls meeting him in Nice when Dizzy Gillespie came out and jammed with Professor Longhair. 09:40 Demonstration His first solo recording, 1980, “Change My Way of Livin’” written by his father. 12:40 Met Florida record producer, Bob Greenlee, and worked with him on his first album. Has done 3 albums with him on King Snake records, a subsidiary of Alligator. The albums got him noticed and led to Broadway play, Mule Bone, by Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes. He played the lead role. Some of the music was written by Taj Mahal. 20:10 Demonstration “Big News From Baton Rouge,” from the first album with Greenlee. 23:30 Miner shows copy of Living Blues magazine with article about the Neal family. Next he’s traveling to Europe, touring U.S. west coast, then a Neal Family album. 32:45 Talks about the influence of Professor Longhair and others. Audience Q & A’s Miner talks about the difference between how young he is and how old his voice sounds. “I just sing the blues, I don’t live it.” 41:50 Demonstration Bio on the Bayou
