BILL KIRCHEN INTERVIEW #1
(Originally aired on December 2, 2010)
Bill Kirchen began drawing national attention in the late ’60s as the lead guitarist for Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen. As one of the first guitarists to bring the spanky sounds of Tele pioneers Roy Nichols and Don Rich to the Woodstock generation, Kirchen has rightfully earned his “Titan of the Telecaster” moniker by playing a soulful mix of rockabilly, Western swing, blues, and honky tonk.
Since his days with Commander Cody, Kirchen has released seven solo albums and toured and recorded with Danny Gatton, Emmylou Harris, Link Wray and Gene Vincent. For his latest album, Word to the Wise, Kirchen invited a handful of musical compadres and former bandmates — including Commander Cody, Dan Hicks, Norton Buffalo, Nick Lowe, Paul Carrack, Blackie Farrell, Maria Muldaur and Elvis Costello — to join him in the studio for a series of duets. The result is a deeply satisfying mix of originals and covers that runs the gamut from twangy honky-tonk to gritty pub rock.
In our exclusive interview, Kirchen describes recording Word to the Wise and shares a great story about meeting Mark Knopfler when tracking the album in London. To accompany the interview, we'll hear selections from Word to the Wise.