For close to ten years, from 1994 to 2003, the Oxford, Mississippi-based band was at the forefront of the nascent alt-country movement. After losing founding member George McConnell to Widespread Panic, the group went on hiatus while still playing the occasional show when the stars aligned. McConnell has been back in the fold and will be playing the gig.
The Kudzu Kings were regulars on the New Orleans club circuit, but their show at Chickie Wah Wah on Friday night will be their first local appearance in years. Their sound is a compelling mix of bluegrass, country, and good ole rock ‘n’ roll. They will be playing acoustic. Fellow alt-country musician Cary Hudson of the Piney Woods Players will open with a solo set and is expected to sit in with the band.
Numerous musicians have gone through the Kudzu Kings over the years. The three constants, who will all be appearing Friday night, are guitarist and vocalist Tate Moore, keyboardist Robert Chaffe, and bassist and vocalist Dave Woolworth. Woolworth’s name will be familiar to locals following the controversy over the city’s noise ordinance. He is a well-respected sound engineer who was hired by the city to assess sound levels at local clubs and make recommendations on the parameters of the ordinance, which incidentally, appears to have been tabled indefinitely by the city council.
Mississippi-born singer/songwriter and guitarist Cary Hudson shares many of the same roots as the Kudzu Kings. He has been a critical darling for over 30 years beginning with his first band, the Hilltops, which he formed right out of high school. He was a founding member of the seminal alt-country band, Blue Mountain, which spawned fellow alt-country legends Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt, and indie rock veterans, Wilco.
Showtime is 10 PM.
