On Saturday, February 21 the stage at the House of Blues Houston belonged entirely to Kenny Wayne Shepherd. No opening act, No warm-up - Just a room buzzing with anticipation and a band ready to dive headfirst into history.

    This stop on the Ledbetter Heights: 30th Anniversary Tour wasn’t just another gig - it was a full-album celebration of the 1995 debut that introduced an 18-year-old guitar prodigy to the world. When Ledbetter Heights first hit shelves, it was a rare blues record to achieve Gold and later Platinum status, signaling that a new torchbearer had arrived. Saturday night proved that torch is still blazing.

A Full-Album Revival

    The band launched into “Ledbetter Heights,” its swampy groove immediately filling the room. Shepherd’s tone was thick and vocal-like, cutting through the mix with the same authority that made the album a Gold and later Platinum success when he was just 18 years old.

    “Born With a Broken Heart” and “What’s Goin’ Down” rolled out with muscular precision, the rhythm section locking in tight. Vocalist Noah Hunt brought grit and soul to every line, his voice soaring without overpowering the bluesy backbone of the songs.

    By “Deja Voodoo,” the band was fully in the pocket. Keyboardist Joe Krown layered in smoky organ swells, giving tracks like “Shame, Shame, Shame” and “Riverside” a warm, vintage depth. Bassist Kevin McCormick anchored the low end with steady authority, especially during “Aberdeen” and “One Foot on the Path, where the grooves felt heavier and more road-seasoned than the studio versions. Kenny mentioned that "Deja Voodoo" was the record company's first choice to be the first single released from the album and it immediately hit on the rock charts.

“Thirty years later, these songs hit harder - not softer.”

    “I’m Leaving You (Commit a Crime)” crackled with swagger, while “Everybody Gets the Blues” felt like a mission statement. “(Let Me Up) I’ve Had Enough” simmered with tension before the instrumental “While We Cry” closed the album set on an emotional high, Shepherd’s phrasing fluid and deeply expressive. Shepherd also revealed that the song "Let Me Up" was written about a "failed" relationship in his early years.

A Tight-Knit Band, With One Change

    Shepherd’s longtime drummer Chris Layton, known for his work with Stevie Ray Vaughan, was absent for this Houston date. Sitting in behind the kit was Sam Bryant, who handled the role with power and polish. Bryant didn’t attempt to reinvent Layton’s style; instead he honored the groove, keeping the backbone steady while allowing Shepherd’s guitar to soar.

    The rest of the core lineup remained intact and the chemistry was undeniable. Shepherd and Hunt shared an effortless musical rapport, while Krown’s keys added texture and McCormick’s bass provided that essential blues-rock weight.

    It was a reminder that while Shepherd’s name headlines the marquee, this is very much a band effort.

Beyond Ledbetter Heights

    After completing the anniversary album, Shepherd shifted into material spanning his broader catalog, seamlessly bridging three decades of blues-rock evolution. Raised in Shreveport, Louisiana, he signed his first deal while still in high school, quickly emerging as one of the leaders of the ’90s blues revival. Multiple charting albums and Grammy nominations later he stands as one of the genre’s most consistent torchbearers.

On this night, he played like a man still chasing the next great solo.

Encore: The Anthems

    The energy spiked instantly when “Blue on Black” transformed the venue into a unified chorus, every lyric echoing off the balcony rails.

“Blue on black, tears on a river…” - Houston sang it like gospel.

    They closed with “Turn to Stone,” a punchy, riff-driven finale that sent the crowd into the cool Houston night buzzing with adrenaline.

Final Take

    The February 21 performance wasn’t just a celebration of a landmark debut. It was proof that Kenny Wayne Shepherd has long since graduated from prodigy status to elder statesman of modern blues-rock - without losing an ounce of fire.

    Thirty years after Ledbetter Heights, the blues still burns bright in Houston and on this night it burned loud.

Kenny Wayne Sheppard Band:

Kenny Wayne Shepard - Guitar
Noah Hunt - Vocals, Guitar
Kevin McCormick - Bass
Joe Krown - Keys
Doug Wloolverton - Trumpet
Charlie Dipuma - Sax
Sam Bryant - Drums