EG Kight – Sticks & Strings

EG Kight – Sticks & Strings

Blue South Records

By Peter “Blewzzman” Lauro © September 2023

Since crossing over from country to the blues with Come In To The Blues, her debut blues release back in 1997, Sticks & Strings is the tenth release in the genre for singer, songwriter and guitarist EG Kight. Of those, this is the fifth that we at Mary4Music have had the pleasure of working with.

For this project, the usual trio of EG Kight on vocals and guitar; Ken Wynn on lead guitar, dobro and background vocals; and Gary Porter drums, percussion, harmonica and background vocals; are joined by special guest Sean Williams on bass; and last but certainly not least, making her recording debut, Miriam Kight – or as EG calls her, ‘Mama’. Of the disc’s ten tracks, nine are EG originals and/or compilations between EG and her long-time writing partner Tom Horner; Nannette Alexander; Johnny Neel; and Doug Jones.

The opening track is titled “Talk To Me”. It’s one EG wrote that deals with the lack of communication in a relationship. Tired of not knowing where they stand, she lays down the final ultimatum of “Talk to me, tell me what’s on your mind…..either love me, or leave me behind”. From the similar theme of many of the disc’s other tracks, I’m thinking he chose to leave her behind. Musically, the song features EG’s patented smooth and sassy, note holding vocal style; Ken – with a ‘who needs an electric guitar to play some killer blues’ attitude – on fabulous acoustic lead guitar runs; deep acoustic bass lines from Sean; and in addition to his usual dynamite drumming (he knows he’s my favorite), Gary is blowin’ out some serious blues on his harmonica. I’ve always known he played some harp, but I now no longer think of it as his second instrument.

On a track titled “If You Have No Reservations”, EG is making a gentleman the so called “offer you can’t refuse”. At first she’s a bit subtle but as the song progresses, she goes full blown hot to trot. As the story goes, EG is addressing a longtime friend who had been repeatedly mistreated by his woman. Now that the woman is out of the picture, EG’s pitch is “If you have no reservations, how ’bout making one with me? I can tell that you’re lonely, I might be someone that you need. You never know what might happen, you never know where it can lead.” Nice set up, but the deal closer has to be when she tells him……..”Baby your healing could begin tonight”. How does a guy say anything but ‘okay’ to that? Especially with the very sultry and sincere approach she’s using. Musically, it’s slow acoustic blues at its best, with Gary and Sean in a smooth rhythm groove and Ken nailing the killer blues guitar leads. From every aspect, this is one heck of a track.

If you were to ask every musician you know – or maybe even every musician in the world, for that matter – how many would you think might answer “God, Goats And Guitars” to a question that asks what three things gets them through tough times? My answer to that is one. The God part is certainly relatable, and the guitar (or other instrument) is a no brainer for a musician, but the goats – that has to be the one and only EG Kight……..

Living on their farm together in rural Georgia, no one knows that better that EG’s mama so there could not be a better song for Miriam Kight to make her recording debut on harmony vocals. As radio folk start receiving their copies of Sticks & Strings, at three-and-a-half minutes long, this one’s gotta be the spin getter.

It took just the twelve second guitar and harmonica intro Ken and Gary laid down on the opening of “My Baby’s Hidin’ Something” for me to think “Oh yeah!, more slow blues”. Then EG comes in belting out dirty, cheating, low down man lyrics, taking us right smack down the middle of blues alley.

There’s “Two Sides To Every Story” and they’re usually the right and the wrong or the truth and the lies, and that’s exactly what’s got EG worried…..”His lies are being heard”. That said, as it always does, EG knows the truth will come out. The track features a catchy sing-a-long chorus line with fabulous vocal harmonies between EG, Ken and Gary.

Other tracks on another great EG Kight release include: Gregg Allman’s “Come And Go Blues”; “Already Gone”; “All Things Considered”; “Changes Coming Down”; and “I Won’t Ever Give Up”.

On a side note, at a recent festival in Florida I saw this ensemble put on an hour-long live set of these and similar songs, and quite honestly, nobody pulls off a three-piece acoustic blues set like EG, Ken and Gary do.

To purchase and/or get your hands on a copy of Sticks & Strings for airplay, and to find out more about EG Kight, just go to her website – www.egkight.com. When you do, please tell her that her buddy the Blewzzman sent you.