| Part of Series | Blues & Beyond |
| Length | 59:00 |
| Licensor | WXPN |
| Producer(s) | Jonny Meister |
| Formats | Commentary, Soft Feature, Weekly Program |
| Topics | African American, Entertainment, Music |
| Produced | May 13, 2008 |
| Added to PRX | May 14, 2008 |
You need to sign up or login to listen to pieces on PRX.
Kenny Neal's new album "Let Life Flow" will be featured, as well as music from his father Raful Neal and sister Jackie Neal.
Authoritative, Informational, Sound Rich
English
Kenny Neal still has some of his boyish charm at age 50, but the last few years have not been child's play for this Baton Rouge blues artist. The Neal family is a large family full of musicians. Kenny has become the best-known among them, but most of the family has some connection to music. In less than a year between the spring seasons of 2004 and 2005, Kenny Neal and his family were rocked by losses and tragedies in rapid succession. A brother, drummer Ronnie Neal, died young in April 2004, and the family patriarch, hamonica player Raful Neal, died of cancer at the end of that summer. Kenny Neal's drummer and close friend Kennard Johnson also died around that time, and in March 2005, sister Jackie Neal, a singer in the process of restarting her career, was murdered at age 37. Kenny has now released his first album since these losses, a reflection called "Let Life Flow." We'll her several songs from the album, as well as songs from the late Raful Neal and Jackie Neal. The show also includes a song from a rising new figure in jazz vocals, Melody Gardot, and classics from innovative works by Ornette Coleman and Milt Jackson, and more.
