The drumsticks were shortly cast by the roadside however when “Sister Jane gave (him) her old acoustic guitar.” Dooley admits it’s been “’unplugged’ ever since”. Dooley would eventually move from his home state of Michigan to Colorado upon graduating from Albion College. He would work as Community Service Director for the Y before totally committing to his music.
His first gig in Colorado would be in Boulder at Fred's. Alone or with other bands he would play many legendary clubs that now only live on in memories: Peggy's Hi-Lo, The Walrus, The Hotel Boulderado and the original Penny Lane to name but a few. He would release his debut disc, the eponymous Kevin Dooley in 1994 and begin touring on a regular basis.
Kevin Dooley was a twelve-track CD featuring all original material. He would be backed by such local legends as Drew Emmitt and Mark Vann from Leftover Salmon and The Left Hand String Band, Steve Mullins, Brock Edwards, Julie Hoest and more. It included such songs as the lead-in “Close Your Eyes" and “Anasazi Wind”. This would also lead to his being featured on KBCO's Local Music program and a gig at Studio C Performance as well.
The Midwest, Texas and The Southwest would soon become familiar territory to Dooley as he would be touring and performing live whenever he was in between projects. (To date he has “played from coast to coast” in various venues including such events as the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, Telluride Blues Festival ,The Paonia Roots Fest and The Colorado Irish Festival.) His career would hit another recording highlight a couple years later (1996) when he would work with other artists to put out a compilation album titled Collage Volume 1. It would be released on the ASH Records label and include other Boulder Artists such as Laughing Hands, Julie Hoest, Marty Peters and Cody and Stewart. This project would also involve a live show at The Boulder Theatre.
The following year (1997) would also be a noteworthy one as Dooley would release another solo album Everyday Dreams. This one included more of his original material such as the title track, “Everyday Dreams”, the opener “Decidin’ Time” and fan favorite “Thirty Bucks and a Muffin”.
The new millennium would witness the release of Dooley’s next new disc titled Twilight Drive. Highlights here include “Rebecca”, and a cover of the classic cut “16 Tons”. This project would be mixed at Purplefish Studios by “the ever subtle” James Tuttle and mastered by "the master" David Glasser. It would also include guest artists such as Grammy winner Sally Van Meter on dobro and E-Town music director Chris Engleman on bass.
It would be well-received enough to encourage the release of yet another studio album in 2003. This one, Home Cookin’, in Dooley’s words included “a new bunch of original tales from the road, home and campsite.” He adds: “I play a number of instruments, drums and bass and even sing some harmonies” stating that they were both “simple and affordable” and that he will probably “put out more of them, more often.”
The next year he would bow to the requests of his fans. “I’ve been asked a bunch of times to record a CD of solo blues performances. Speaking of the 2004 release How Late'll Ya Play Til? He says: “This is it.” He also recorded a collection of folk-rock and traditional fan favorites in another album out that year called Midnight Special.
Dooley would begin a regular gig performing with an acoustic original and traditional Irish song-playing band named Parting Glass in 2006. Their weekly shows at one venue are said to be “going very well with . . . good attendance at all area shows” as well. In fact, the group was encouraged to release Live at The Bader House: Parting Glass. This is said to be 13 tracks of “very fun live” material recorded in an “intimate setting” and features band mates Beth Leachman, Steve Mullins and Chris Engleman.
When not in the studio Dooley has also opened for such legends as Bo Diddley and Leon Russel as well as “contemporaries” such as Catie Curtis, John Smith, Brooks Williams and Chanting House. He has also shared stages with artists such as Nanci Griffith, Marc Cohn, Los Lobos, Hot Tuna, Missy Raines, PineTop Perkins and more. Dooley has also managed to find time to appear on other compilations in the recent past including Colorado Blues Society 2001 (Vol.1),American Street's and Cafes (Vol. 2), Oasis Music, Acoustic Sampler (Vol. 23), Benefit for OUR House and more.
He has even had the time to score top honors such as the Crossroads Acoustic Blues Award, inclusion on the “Best of Boulder” list, was chosen to play the “main showcase” at The SWRFA Conference in Austin, Texas and was invited to join the faculty at The Rocky Mountain Folk Festival’s "Song School" on numerous occasions.
Earlier this year, however, Dooley stepped out of the studio once again with yet another solo CD. This one is titled Moonlight Highway. Dooley handles the acoustic guitar and vocal chores and is assisted by an assortment of additional artists including: Diego Voglino (drums and percussion), Eric Thorin (upright bass), Gurf Morlix (electric and bottleneck guitar and lap steel), John Magnie (accordion, Hammond B-3 and background vocals), Steve Amedee (percussion and background vocals), Jessie Burns (4 and 5 string fiddle), Eric Drobney (background vocals), Bret Billings (pedal steel) and Brian McRae (percussion).
The album opens with “Mystery Wheel”. This is one of four Dooley originals on the disc. It is also a local radio fan favorite. This is one of the best cuts on the album.
“Love’s Been Linked to the Blues” is the second selection. It’s a great, gruff cover of a song by David Olney. It has an interesting organ intro and was even chosen for inclusion on a local cable-TV channel show. Specifically, it’s used for the Longmont Happenings Music List at Oscar Blues and Larry's Guitars Concert Listings. While it is, unfortunately, not an original Dooley composition it still receives “Critic’s Choice” here . . . perhaps because Dooley makes the tune his own. It’s just an honest number.
“Silvery Moon” is an upbeat Kevin Dooley tune. It has an upbeat, traditional sound and yet in truth it’s actually very new. A cover of producer Todd Adelman’s “Ocean-Breeze, First Kiss” follows. It focuses on memories of a relationship and love at the beach or at the shore depending upon which coast one lives.
The next number is “Car Outside”. This is a clever cover of a Jimmy LaFave tune. “Ferryman” follows here. It’s a traditional piece with a new arrangement by Dooley and features Casey Driessen on fiddle.
Up next is “A Showman’s Life”. This is a cover of a tune by Jesse Winchester. It seems quite appropriate here. Another cover is next.
“This Old Porch” is actually a Robert Earl Keen song. It’s highlighted by Tommy Detamore on dobro. “Old Man at the Mill” comes next and is yet another traditional piece with a fresh arrangement by Dooley.
"Moonlight Highway" is the title track. This is also another fan favorite and successful radio cut composed by Dooley. Recently, the tune took the top slot on the ReverbNation Americana charts for CO and the number 22 spot nationally.
“The Big Easy” was written by Ray Bonneville. It’s about the disaster in New Orleans. It’s highlighted by the Kesslerettes on background vocals.
Another original Dooley work, “Sunset Town” is next. It’s yet one more example of what Dooley can do. He closes the CD with a nice cover of Tom Waits’ “Shiver Me Timbers”.
Dooley’s music is at times vaguely reminiscent of Van Morrison or even—at his best—James Taylor. His vocals are expressive and the music is produced in such a way as to not take away from the guts of the songs. Polishing up anything here would take away the personality. While a few critics might point out that Dooley is more American than Celtic on this album it seems a moot point. The truth of the matter is Dooley seems to have put together a disc that tells us something about him regardless of toward which country the music often leans.
Indeed, while the idea of a guy with a guitar traveling from tavern to tavern and singing for his supper and then going on to be recorded on albums may date back to at least the early days of Woody Guthrie’s career, Kevin Dooley holds claim to his own interesting take on the experience and successfully shares it with others on his CDs.
LINK TO KEVIN
