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Dave Kelly—40 Years on: A Recollection—Repertoire
REPUK1393

Dave Kelly was born in 1947 in Chiswick in West London. The
family later moved to Streatham, South London. He started play-

ing the guitar at the age of ten, after being influenced by
Rock’n’Roll and Skiffle. He also became aware of American folk
music and to some extent blues, via Lonnie Donegan.

He often played with his older sister (the late) Jo Ann Kelly. In
their youth they would enter musical competitions and often win
them. A place he and his sister often frequented was Dave Carey's
Swing Shop in Streatham, which specialised in jazz and blues records. There, they would listen
to records and meet with friends who included Bob Hall, Steve Rye, Simon Preager and his great
friend Tony McPhee. It was in fact, Tony McPhee who showed Dave how to tune his guitar to an
open chord to play slide/bottleneck.

With the influences of the folk boom of the early 60's Dave started playing the ‘fingerpicking’
style and became a musical disciple of Fred McDowell; at that time Dave was a member of the
John Dummer Blues Band and the short lived Tramp, who in their line-up included his sister Jo
Ann. He would later become an original member of The Blues Band.

When, during the early sixties ‘The American Folk and Blues Festivals’ began to annually tour
Britain, one of the many venues visited was the Fairfield Halls in Croydon, South London and
artists such as Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Son House, Sonny Boy Williamson, Willie Dixon, Big
Mama Thornton, Sister Rosetta Tharpe and John Lee Hooker to name but a very few, appeared
in these shows over the years.

Also at that time, there was a folk and blues club in Croydon, where Dave and his sister would
frequent, which was located at The Star Hotel in London road, Croydon. It was there, when some
of these artists played in the club, that Dave continued on his musical journey, for he went on to
become part of the group of musicians that became the backing band for artists such as Howlin’

Wolf, Son House and John Lee Hooker, when they toured Britain.

“40 Years on: A Recollection” is a retrospective look at Dave’s career from the beginning. It
consists of three CDS containing 55 numbers, 23 of which have never before been released. Split
into three CDs; the first concerns Dave’s own compositions with two collaborations, the second
is devoted to the many covers Dave has recorded and the third is a representation of his live
work. The set includes a comprehensive and fascinating fact filled booklet, written by Chris Welch.

The most distinctive and alluring feature of this first CD is Dave’s slide and picking. The numbers
are what you would expect of that time, full bodied, energetic, British blues influenced toe-
tapping guitar and piano drivers. His vocals are somewhat reminiscent of Dave Edmunds; the
enticing production work is also very similar.

One of my favourites is the slide driven, pumping ‘Straight Line (To My Heart’)’ which gets you
going from the start. The country blues flavoured ‘Dawn Surprise’ settles you down with an
irresistible slide. The straight down the line, piano and slide rocker ‘Ungrateful’ is very satisfying.
The country swinging violin led ‘Don’tcha Hang Up The Phone’ is very easy on the ears, as is the
wonderfully melancholically picked ‘Duisburg Blues’.

The second CD delivers a splendid array of covers including Tex Comers’ touching ballad,
‘Tongue Tied’, the country/Spanish influenced acoustic guitar hits the spot. Otis Redding’s