Up Close and Personal with Rock N Roll Legends The Kentucky Headhunters on the Release of their 12th Studio Album

on-safari-headhunters-coverIn all started in 1969 when a group of brothers, cousins, and family members decided to get together and create what would be one of the most prolific iconic groups of the music industry.

The Kentucky Headhunters are known as rock in roll royalty and rightly so. These guys are genuine, the real deal. With a 40 year career under their belt and now a recently completed European Tour The Kentucky Headhunters show no signs of stopping.

When asked how they were able to have such a long career together Richard Young expressed that it’s all about family. Beginning with each member of the band, to the road crew, to the extended family members of each individual member, it’s all about family. He expressed how his mother and father always encouraged him and his brother to be themselves, do what they loved to do. They were never told to cut their hair or that they couldn’t play rock and roll music. They were supported from the beginning and are still supported even today.

Some of the most iconic songs in rock n roll history came from the Kentucky Headhunters. When “Walking Softly On This Heart of Mine” hit the airwaves there was dancing in the streets and people knew every word. Fans around the world wanted to know who was “Dumas Walker”? How do we find him and how do we get one of those slaw burgers and fries?

headhunters-threeAs we talked Richard also shared how their first European Tour came about and why they had not already been overseas. It seems that for many years he has been holding on to a fear of flying. But no more, after being encouraged by his son, John Fred Young, drummer for the group Black Stone Cherryl, Richard faced a fear he had held on to for almost 35 years and enjoyed a once in a lifetime experience of seeing where his ancestors lived, seeing the rolling green hills and lush landscape of London and Scotland and miles of beautiful openness in a beautiful country.

headhunters-twoCurrently promoting their new album “On Safari” the group has once again given fans around the world a chart topping collection of amazing songs. This album is a southern rock record with a mix of country/blues and Americana soul. All the songs are originals with the exception of two covers.

“Beaver Creek Mansion” was written about Fred and Richards mom and dad’s place. Young said it really touches home in their hearts and brings back memories of home cooking like, Mexican hamburgers, fried taters and chocolate chips cookies.

Each song is exceptional but one in particular stood out to me. “ Crazy Jim” a breezy blues ballad that is actually based on a real person who made a deep impression on Richard and the band. As the story goes Crazy Jim would walk the streets with a bag of rocks and hand them out to folks. He told them that the rocks would make them rich. People would laugh and make fun of him but Richard said he believed it meant they would make you rich in spirit not rich in money.

Young also expressed that the memories from the new album, like Crazy Jim, Beaver Creek Mansion and moms Mexican hamburgers are what make the songs so personal. He said you should never judge a book by it’s cover, meaning “Crazy Jim”….

kentucky-headhuntersThe Kentucky Headhunters are truly Rock N Roll Royalty for all of life long fans and will continue to be. There is one more special mention that Richard asked us to give. Johnny Johnson was a huge part of “On Safari” and he said, “There is nothing that we’ve ever done that can touch our work aside from working with Johnny Johnson. In 1982 he wrote “God Loves A Rolling Stone”…with that memory there is a spiritual feel to this album brought from deep within. ~ Richard Young~

Don’t miss out on getting your copy of “On Safari” and be sure to visit http://www.kentuckyheadhunters.com/for all the latest on the Kentucky Headhunters.

About Sherryl Craig 410 Articles
Sherryl is a Senior Writer and Assistant Editor with Nashville Music Guide and her blog, Lyrics N Legends has been featured since 2012. Her articles has graced the cover and have appeared as feature stories in the NMG print edition. She is also a member of WMMW, Women of Music Music of Women, a non-profit organization in support of women in the music industry. WMMW also appears here in Nashville Music Guide.

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