Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin Kidd
Hi Kevin, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My name is Kevin Kidd, and I am currently the lead guitarist for the Peak City Band and have put together this interview. Thanks for the opportunity to talk about us a little and the fun we have being part of the local music scene in the Raleigh, NC area and what we call the Triangle.
The Peak City Band started as the Peak City Blues Project in 2010 in the Raleigh area, playing mostly their versions of traditional blues songs. The band started a gradual transition towards more blues-based rock songs, and in 2018, we decided to change our name to Peak City Band. This name was much easier for people to recall, more marketable, and we felt it better reflected what we were trying to convey.
Musically, we play our interpretations of songs from roughly the late ‘60’s through the mid 80’s. The Rolling Stones, Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Santana, Joe Cocker, The Doors, Faces, and many more are all part of our setlists. I think we can truly say that we thoroughly enjoy every song we play! One of the greatest compliments that our fans tell us is that we look like we are having fun doing it! And how true!
Here’s how we describe ourselves from our band website:
“The Peak City Band are song interpreters of blues, rock and roll, R&B, and even a little Latin and jazz at times! Every song is performed using imagination to make it their own blend. Peak City Band is a very energetic and creative band -never a dull moment!”
“They enjoy the creative process, LOVE to perform live, and bring a variety of musical backgrounds and individual years of experience that creates a solid and synchronized memorable sound -and show.”
That pretty much sums us up!
Our band presently consists of six members. Larry Butterton -lead vocals, harmonica, and percussion, Tom Neuhauser – vocals, keyboards, saxophone, bass, and guitar, Tom Josam – bass and guitar, Ian Cluggish -vocals, drums, percussion, Kevin Kidd -vocals and lead guitar, and Erik Green -sound and lighting. We also have numerous friends in the local music community who step in from time to time to cover vacancies and help out when needed.
We are a very diverse group of individuals with many years of experience and musical interests. There is a 40-year spread between our ages which makes us different from most bands but adds so much to our repertoire and vision of what we do. Every one of us takes the music seriously, but we always keep the fun component at the forefront. I think I can safely say that we love playing in Peak City Band.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Overall, our “voyage” through our love of music and performing has been pretty smooth. We have a great group of guys in our band and the chemistry between us “just works.” We look at compatibility and ability to get along as a top consideration whenever we welcome a new member. We have built our fanbase over the years and are fortunate to be able to play the music that we truly enjoy as well.
There are always struggles in any organization, business, or group of people. In a band, it could be song selection, the famous phrase “artistic differences”, personality clashes, etc., etc. that cause problems and disbanding. The one thing that we have always been able to do is to address any problems that occur, talk them out, and resolve at a level that keeps us together.
This band, like any band or group of people, has gone through changes in members over the years. Playing in a band requires a commitment of time, resources, and practice. People go through changes in their individual lives that create different needs at different times. What we do with Peak City Band is a labor of love. We are all friends, and our individual families are number one in our lives. We consider all of our past members as friends.
Larry is an original member, having started the band in 2010. Tom Neuhauser started 10 years ago, and me about 9 ½ years ago. Tom Josam (TJ) is a longtime friend of mine from high school at Millbrook and has been helping us out since I started. He took over the position of bass player full time when our original member Mike Harris retired 2 years ago. Ian is in his 6th year with us and Erik has been running sound for us for almost 5 years. I think that says a lot about us!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
When you are referring to a labor of love, it’s hard to think of it as work.! As far as myself, I plan to remain with this band as long as it’s fun and I am physically able to do so! Yes, there is definitely work and time involved, learning songs, practicing, planning, developing good relationships with venues, as well as physically moving equipment before and after shows. But that’s ok when you can do what you love and enjoy. The number of friends we have made as a result of music is unbelievable and very gratifying.
We strive to rehearse 3-4 times per month and play out in the area 2-3 times a month which is definitely a commitment of time. In our group, Tom Neuhauser is considered a professional musician and actually has a career playing solo gigs and special events around holidays, Oktoberfest, etc. in addition to his time with Peak City Band. For the rest of us, we are in it for the fun and camaraderie.
The music we play has a special appeal to the 50-year-olds and above. The 1970’s era is probably our sweet spot. We have quite a few younger folks who have seen us and that have become fans and friends of the band as well. I think they like our energy and enthusiasm. I have always believed that most of us tend to favor the music and songs of our teens and ‘20’s. That’s what brings back the memories! Maybe nostalgic -but true! Tom Neuhauser and Ian keep us young!
As far as what we are known for, I would say it is playing songs that we enjoy, and that the audience enjoys as well. One of the biggest compliments we get is that we look like we are having a good time. We try to put on a show and deliver songs as well as we can to motivate an audience. Nothing makes us happier, than to see a crowd of people enjoying themselves as a result of our music.
I think one thing that we are probably the proudest of is being a part of helping to make the local music and entertainment scene more accessible and appealing to the over 50 crowds. We realize that we are not the band for every venue, but we have seen a lot of success in bringing people into venues that start earlier and end earlier. This is not a knock against any venue that has late night music, as they have a lot of success with that business platform and audiences that favor that.
This may sound a little different, but there are a lot of middle aged and seniors that still enjoy going out to dinner, having a few drinks, dancing, and listening to bands who play rock and music of their generation. A lot of these folks are ready to start heading home at 10:00 -11:00 pm, but if you afford them an earlier opportunity with good music and food, they will be there. Even Sunday afternoons can be very appealing.
This motivates more people to get out and enjoy all the entertainment opportunities that Raleigh and the Triangle area have to offer.
What sets us apart from others is a difficult question for me to answer as there are so many talented artists in this area. There are some priorities we have as a band which I think help us to be where we are, and no doubt, we can take lessons from others.
One key is that you have to take care of your venues and the people who hire you to play. You have to understand that they are a business, and you should do everything you can to help make them successful. When you do, it’s reciprocal. This means marketing yourself and taking the extra steps to make people want to come and see you perform. Our lead singer, Larry Butterton, does an amazing job of staying in touch with, and building our fanbase and friends. It’s not uncommon for him to send someone a personal note and thank them for choosing to spend their time with us.
Secondly, you have to decide who you want to be, and what you are trying to accomplish as a band or musician. Our goal is to have as much fun as possible and playing songs we love that hopefully our audience loves to hear as well. We constantly ask ourselves when choosing a new song to do…. Will our audience be motivated and enjoy it? Are we playing it just because we like it? Is it a song that at least most people will recognize? Does it sound like us?
I don’t think anybody always gets it right, but it sure helps! There is nothing better than playing a song you love to play and see your friends and fans react positively and getting into it. To sum it up, we strive to have a reputation with our venues and fans that is top notch, dependable, and caring.
I kept this short summary of what makes for an enjoyable band several years ago. I wish I was the original author of the thought and could take credit for it, but I don’t recall where I saw it or who wrote it. It makes a ton of sense.
“I find the most entertaining bands to be those which: (1) are well-rehearsed, (2) have good chemistry between their musicians, (3) enjoy the music they play, and (4) play in the pocket.”
Sounds like the ABCs of success in the music business to me!
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
The Covid crisis put a pause on everything we did for about 3 months as far as practicing, and we did not play anywhere publicly until the late fall of 2020. It was only mid 2021 before we really got back performing publicly.
Opinions and lessons from the Covid crisis vary greatly among people and sometimes tend to be political or of personal nature. We respect the opinions of others, but choose to follow what we feel is a common sense approach. Politics is not part of who we are as a band, and Peak City Band is all about enjoying our music and having the best time possible, both for us, and our audience. Hopefully, we can provide a temporary escape and safe harbor for all who follow us!
We are thankful for what we have and appreciate all of the friends and fans that make Peak City Band what it is.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.peakcityband.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peakcityband
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/peakcityband
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@peakcityband
