Sean Montgomery Posted August 10, 2004 Share Posted August 10, 2004 If anyone has been to BB Kings in Memphis, on Beale Street have you heard this guitar player named Kirk Smithhart? He has a 3 piece band and is one hell of a guitarist. Funny thing is the Los Lonely Boys sound very much like that guy. I heard mostly original stuff and a few covers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ridger Posted August 10, 2004 Share Posted August 10, 2004 I was there about a month ago, but I didn't hear him play. There are many good guitarist up and down Beale Street. It's one of my favorite places to visit. When you're there, take a tour of the Gibson guitar factory. It's one block from Beale Street. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted August 10, 2004 Share Posted August 10, 2004 Hey, Sean, welcome to another Missourian. I believe I've been around Mexico on some occasion...can't remember...is it up around Marshall? I'll have to check the old map-eroo. Memphis is on my list of places I must visit. I've been through there a couple of times, never stopped though. And, a belated welcome to you as well, Ridger! "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Montgomery Posted August 10, 2004 Author Share Posted August 10, 2004 I have seen Monte Montgomery ( no relation) at the Gibson Showcase Lounge in Memphis and thats where I first heard Kirk Smithhart, as he opened for Monte. It was one hell of a show. Two amazing guitar players but different styles. It was a night for guitar lovers thats for sure. You are right, Beale street has some great players. One of the things I like best about Kirk is he is like a huge mixture of music styles and it all comes out great. I think he may have covered 2 songs all night and one was "Little Wing" and "Hey Joe." If you havent heard Monte, he is from Austin Texas and plays an acoustic machine gun. For my buddy from Mexico: My grandparents were born in Fulton but moved to Mexico. If you know where Fulton is, Mexico is north about 30 miles or so. I just moved to Nashville a month ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiger85 Posted August 10, 2004 Share Posted August 10, 2004 I live in North Mississippi, about 20-30 minutes from Beale Street. It is nice going up there and hearing all of the great musicians though it can get a little crowded on weekends. Yeah Smithhart is a talented guitarist and plays various clubs around Beale. May be the best guitarist out of Memphis since Shawn Lane or Eric Gales. Gibson has a great retail store ( though the only discount they can give is 10% off retail in fairness to local Gibson dealers, they have a great selection of electrics and acoustics, including a killer Hummingbird that plays like a dream). Anyway, if you are down this way check out Beale Street for sure. BTW, my wife is from KC, Mo. so I've been there quite a few times over the past 14 years. Just attended a wedding there week before last in fact. The Plaza area is really cool, especially around the holidays. ...touched down in the land of the Delta Blues.....in the middle of the pouring rain.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bbach1 Posted August 10, 2004 Share Posted August 10, 2004 another example of the culture you can get if you don't live in ND bbach Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Montgomery Posted August 11, 2004 Author Share Posted August 11, 2004 hey Tiger85: I have heard Eric Gales, also. I didnt realize he was from Memphis, too. One thing that puzzles me is as big as Memphis is, there are very few places, if any, you can knowingly go to hear original music. You would think there would be clubs galore for original tunes. Thats one thing that I really liked about Kirk Smithhart. He plays almost all his own material and its great music. He played a few Hendrix and a Stevie Ray request but the rest was all his stuff. When I first heard Eric Gales he was sitting in with a band and played covers. The next time I heard him he did his own stuff. The N M Allstars are another band I really like from the area. Memphis has some great players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picker Posted August 12, 2004 Share Posted August 12, 2004 Hey buddy, I used to live in Sedalia and Marshall, just a spit from you if I recall correctly. Ever go to the State Fair? Usually some good music there, and not all in the grandstand shows, either. I saw Riders In The Sky at one of the midway shows some years back. They had to play over the stock car races, which they made into a joke. Never been to Memphis, but I'd like to sometime. A freind of mine went ther as came back raving about it. Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Montgomery Posted August 14, 2004 Author Share Posted August 14, 2004 I am in Memphis today and the weather here is unbelievable for August. I am going to Beale Street tonight to see if I can catch some of the great guitar players. I cant seem to find out where Eric Gales is performing and I found out that Kirk Smithhart has been playing the Sturgis Motorcycle festival in South Dakota for the last 4 days, so I will not be able to hear him tonight. What a let down. but, BB Kings usually has great players anyway, so I am still going. If any of you guys ever want to have a "road Trip" to Memphis let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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