Clearlake Oaks >> If the Kenny Frye Band played a few more Jason Aldean songs, they’d be a tribute band. Aldean’s rock infused country sound just fits with the group’s vibe, which Frye has dubbed “rocking country.”
Frye hasn’t always played country, however. When he was a 16-year-old kid in Ohio, he taught himself to sing and play the drums and by 1987 he’d moved to California, putting roots down in the Orange County area. There, he performed in a couple of different bands, releasing three CDs and touring with the big rock bands of the time, like Guns N’ Roses and Poison.
Then, Frye was a rock and roll guy through and through — he even had the look to prove it, including hair to his waist. Then he got hooked on meth. He was about to sign a deal with Capital Records when he realized enough was enough. He would either make music and die, or quit music and live. He walked away.
Frye was out of the music scene for nearly two decades. Then eight years ago he was singing karaoke in Sacramento when Ahnie Frye walked into his life. She heard his voice and knew he was something special. She approached him to discuss starting a band. Kenny Frye didn’t want to go back to rock and roll, and since he’d been singing country during karaoke, they knew that sound could work. They decided to go for it.
In the years since, Ahnie Frye has been managing the band, booking 60-70 shows a year, keeping the website up and running and basically acting as another member of the group. She and Kenny Frye also married. “I give all the credit to my wife,” Frye said. “She’s the backbone of the band.”
When gathering members for Frye’s band, they looked for musicians with rock and roll backgrounds. They may have been performing country, but they weren’t interested in playing the traditional, sometimes depressing, country numbers. They wanted to take rock and add a cowboy hat and a twang to it.
They ended up with Michael Gunn on drums, keyboardist Dale Enstrom, Shawn Holiday on bass and guitarist Jeff Turner. And they all have the same ideas about giving country a nice rock edge.
Which is why the popular musicians dominating today’s country radio, guys like Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan, are so appealing. But Frye doesn’t like to play their most popular songs. Instead, he wants to give his crowd something different — no one wants to go to the bar every night and hear the exact same songs.
They aren’t entirely a country band. They also perform some rock songs, such as Purple Rain in tribute to Prince. And even when the songs have that southern twang, the band’s performance is always rock and roll worthy. Frye isn’t even on the stage most of the time — he’s too busy weaving through the crowd.
The Kenny Frye band tries to learn a new song with every show, just to keep things interesting. They also take recommendations from fans. They’ll listen to a suggested song and if they like it, they’ll learn it.
It’s all about showing appreciation for the fans. Without an eager audience, Frye wouldn’t be able to do what he does. “Our fans are really involved in our shows,” he said. “We want to make them feel like they are part of the show.”
Whether there are 5 people in the crowd or 5,000, the Kenny Frye Band puts on the same performance. Frye wants everyone who comes out to forget about their lives, their jobs, the difficult things going on around the globe, just for a few short hours. “Music is an escape is what it is,” he said. “That’s what its all about, just to escape for a little while, escape from the hustle and the bustle of the world.”
The Kenny Frye Band will be performing tonight at Cache Creek Vineyards, 250 New Long Valley Rd. Clearlake Oaks, for a Boots, Wine and BBQ dinner/concert. The show is from 6-10 p.m. Tickets are $30 for both the dinner and concert (RSVP required) or $30 for the concert only. Call 998-1200.
Jennifer Gruenke can be reached at 900-2019.
