Kris Kehr

The local singer/songwriter with a pedigree that includes jamming with members of The Grateful Dead and Phish will debut his band’s latest effort at a gig Friday night at the Brass Lantern.

By Jim Speese
Reading Eagle Correspondent

Reading, PA - Reading native Kris Kehr will be celebrating the release of his new CD with his band, Stone Poets, at the Brass Lantern, 12th and Pike streets, Friday at 10 p.m.

The CD is titled “Notes From the Crossroads,” and, rather than being the typical blues metaphor, the album is aptly named as the journal of a man who’s done quite a bit of traveling, both physically and spiritually, in the last 10 years or so and faced many a crossroad along the way.

Yes, the oldest of the songs on this record, “Gone Are Those Days,” first saw the light of day some 10 years ago. Who would’ve guessed that the song would prove to be as much about the future as the past?

Kris Kehr and Stone Poets consists of Dr. David Mudgett on pedal steel and electric guitar; Rev. James Harton on organ and piano; John Kennedy on bass; the ubiquitous Matt Cullen on drums; and, of course, Kehr on guitars, mandolins and vocals. Kehr’s professional and personal partner, Julie Edlow (formerly with The Recipe) also sings with the band.

Kehr has had quite the musical journey, joining his first professional band — Pavlov’s Dawgs — in the early ’90s. He also played with the likes of The Recipe and Electric Farm, just to name a few. Also a talented sound engineer, Kehr performed those duties at the famous Godfrey Daniels in Bethlehem.

He’s jammed with such luminaries as members of Phish and The Grateful Dead.

He’s spent time here in Berks County, then moved to North Carolina, toured the country, ended up in State College and has found his way back home. And decided to bring the Stone Poets back to life.

“Notes From the Crossroads,” recorded with Kehr’s friend Bruce Siekmann at Amoeba Studios, is the band’s fourth offering, not counting many downloadable tracks.

Men do music for many reasons — to make money, for the excitement, to meet girls — but there are those few who feel so passionately about creating music that they can’t imagine a life without it. Kehr seems to fall into this last group. Inspired by such artists as Gram Parsons, Bob Dylan, Neil Young and (the country side of) The Grateful Dead, Kehr’s influences can be heard throughout his music. But his songs are all his own as well.

“I became obsessed (with music) after connecting emotionally when I was 8 or 10 years old,” he explained. “I was at my grandmother’s house in Leesport and I heard the Beatles’ ‘Help’ and it made me sad. And I wondered, what is it about a song that can make me feel? And I still feel that way.”

It’s one of the reasons Kehr is drawn to the sound of certain instruments like the Hammond organ or the pedal steel.

“They have a soulful voice,” he noted. “You respond to them emotionally almost without thinking about it. And that fits my songs, which are personal and emotional.”

And as he delved into his favorite music, he discovered whole new worlds.

“The Grateful Dead is one of those great American bands,” he said, “that have it all in there. When I was younger, I loved their acoustic stuff, so I checked out the songwriting credits and discovered stuff like Bill Monroe.”

Kehr’s songs are, indeed, personal and emotional, and part of that is in how he approaches songwriting. While he certainly can craft a song at times (listen to “Stephanie” on the album — a song created pretty much on a dare due to a waitress’ name tag), he prefers to allow the song to use him.

“I’ve read how Townes Van Zandt and Neil Young have always said to have your pen ready because the song will blow into the window and you gotta get it down,” he explained. “When that happens, it almost feels like I have nothing to do with it.”

The Stone Poets’ music fits neatly into the “alt-country” or “Americana” genres, and there is a genuine quality to it, which is not surprising, considering the quality of the players. And also not surprising considering the experiences of the songwriter. Having traveled, played all over, made mistakes, and lived to tell about it, Kehr still has his genuine, child-like love of music.

“I’ve had some milestones, like sitting in with some great musicians,” he said, but it’s when people relate to his music on a personal level — laughing or crying with him — that he sees as the true highlights of his career.

For a man who loves music and the magic of how songs can inspire emotion, this is not all that surprising.
- Reading Eagle/Reading, PA

The local singer/songwriter with a pedigree that includes jamming with members of The Grateful Dead and Phish will debut his band’s latest effort at a gig Friday night at the Brass Lantern.

By Jim Speese
Reading Eagle Correspondent

Reading, PA - Reading native Kris Kehr will be celebrating the release of his new CD with his band, Stone Poets, at the Brass Lantern, 12th and Pike streets, Friday at 10 p.m.

The CD is titled “Notes From the Crossroads,” and, rather than being the typical blues metaphor, the album is aptly named as the journal of a man who’s done quite a bit of traveling, both physically and spiritually, in the last 10 years or so and faced many a crossroad along the way.

Yes, the oldest of the songs on this record, “Gone Are Those Days,” first saw the light of day some 10 years ago. Who would’ve guessed that the song would prove to be as much about the future as the past?

Kris Kehr and Stone Poets consists of Dr. David Mudgett on pedal steel and electric guitar; Rev. James Harton on organ and piano; John Kennedy on bass; the ubiquitous Matt Cullen on drums; and, of course, Kehr on guitars, mandolins and vocals. Kehr’s professional and personal partner, Julie Edlow (formerly with The Recipe) also sings with the band.

Kehr has had quite the musical journey, joining his first professional band — Pavlov’s Dawgs — in the early ’90s. He also played with the likes of The Recipe and Electric Farm, just to name a few. Also a talented sound engineer, Kehr performed those duties at the famous Godfrey Daniels in Bethlehem.

He’s jammed with such luminaries as members of Phish and The Grateful Dead.

He’s spent time here in Berks County, then moved to North Carolina, toured the country, ended up in State College and has found his way back home. And decided to bring the Stone Poets back to life.

“Notes From the Crossroads,” recorded with Kehr’s friend Bruce Siekmann at Amoeba Studios, is the band’s fourth offering, not counting many downloadable tracks.

Men do music for many reasons — to make money, for the excitement, to meet girls — but there are those few who feel so passionately about creating music that they can’t imagine a life without it. Kehr seems to fall into this last group. Inspired by such artists as Gram Parsons, Bob Dylan, Neil Young and (the country side of) The Grateful Dead, Kehr’s influences can be heard throughout his music. But his songs are all his own as well.

“I became obsessed (with music) after connecting emotionally when I was 8 or 10 years old,” he explained. “I was at my grandmother’s house in Leesport and I heard the Beatles’ ‘Help’ and it made me sad. And I wondered, what is it about a song that can make me feel? And I still feel that way.”

It’s one of the reasons Kehr is drawn to the sound of certain instruments like the Hammond organ or the pedal steel.

“They have a soulful voice,” he noted. “You respond to them emotionally almost without thinking about it. And that fits my songs, which are personal and emotional.”

And as he delved into his favorite music, he discovered whole new worlds.

“The Grateful Dead is one of those great American bands,” he said, “that have it all in there. When I was younger, I loved their acoustic stuff, so I checked out the songwriting credits and discovered stuff like Bill Monroe.”

Kehr’s songs are, indeed, personal and emotional, and part of that is in how he approaches songwriting. While he certainly can craft a song at times (listen to “Stephanie” on the album — a song created pretty much on a dare due to a waitress’ name tag), he prefers to allow the song to use him.

“I’ve read how Townes Van Zandt and Neil Young have always said to have your pen ready because the song will blow into the window and you gotta get it down,” he explained. “When that happens, it almost feels like I have nothing to do with it.”

The Stone Poets’ music fits neatly into the “alt-country” or “Americana” genres, and there is a genuine quality to it, which is not surprising, considering the quality of the players. And also not surprising considering the experiences of the songwriter. Having traveled, played all over, made mistakes, and lived to tell about it, Kehr still has his genuine, child-like love of music.

“I’ve had some milestones, like sitting in with some great musicians,” he said, but it’s when people relate to his music on a personal level — laughing or crying with him — that he sees as the true highlights of his career.

For a man who loves music and the magic of how songs can inspire emotion, this is not all that surprising.
- Reading Eagle/Reading, PA

Kris Kehr and the Stone Poets have an easygoing alt-country vibe. But they also can be intense, if you listen carefully. The band combines the retro sound of Dr. Dave Mudgett's pedal steel and the Rev. James Harton's barroom keyboards with the propulsion of John Kennedy's bass and Matt Cullen's drums. Kehr sings in a melodic folkie voice with a hint of Dylan, while picking his six- or 12-string acoustic guitar or mandolin.

The lyrics of Kehr's songs, though, have unusual depth. Each of the 15 tracks on the band's new self-released CD, ''Notes from the Crossroads,'' tells a story. Kehr, who wrote all the songs, says the title represents ''a time of life-altering decisions. I hope I've covered the gamut of emotion, from affirmation and feelings of joy to heartbreak songs.''

The Stone Poets also play covers by Warren Zevon, Merle Haggard, Neil Young and Steve Earle.

The CD has been in preparation for nearly five years. After laying down tracks while he lived in State College, Kehr moved to North Carolina, playing 200 dates a year with jam band The Recipe.

''Everything seemed more intense, and there was a lot of stress,'' he says. Three songs reflect Kehr's conflicted feelings about those years. In 2005 Kehr moved back to the Reading area, where he was born.

In the early '90s Kehr lived up the block from Bethlehem's Godfrey Daniels, where he volunteered as a soundman. He was a member of local bands Pavlov's Dawgs and The Electric Farm.
- The Morning Call/Allentown, PA

Kris Kehr and the Stone Poets have an easygoing alt-country vibe. But they also can be intense, if you listen carefully. The band combines the retro sound of Dr. Dave Mudgett's pedal steel and the Rev. James Harton's barroom keyboards with the propulsion of John Kennedy's bass and Matt Cullen's drums. Kehr sings in a melodic folkie voice with a hint of Dylan, while picking his six- or 12-string acoustic guitar or mandolin.

The lyrics of Kehr's songs, though, have unusual depth. Each of the 15 tracks on the band's new self-released CD, ''Notes from the Crossroads,'' tells a story. Kehr, who wrote all the songs, says the title represents ''a time of life-altering decisions. I hope I've covered the gamut of emotion, from affirmation and feelings of joy to heartbreak songs.''

The Stone Poets also play covers by Warren Zevon, Merle Haggard, Neil Young and Steve Earle.

The CD has been in preparation for nearly five years. After laying down tracks while he lived in State College, Kehr moved to North Carolina, playing 200 dates a year with jam band The Recipe.

''Everything seemed more intense, and there was a lot of stress,'' he says. Three songs reflect Kehr's conflicted feelings about those years. In 2005 Kehr moved back to the Reading area, where he was born.

In the early '90s Kehr lived up the block from Bethlehem's Godfrey Daniels, where he volunteered as a soundman. He was a member of local bands Pavlov's Dawgs and The Electric Farm.
- The Morning Call/Allentown, PA

Kris Kehr, met of zonder Stone Poets, behoort nog steeds tot één van mijn favoriete singer - songwriters. Het laatste wat wij van de man uit de bergen van Western North Carolina vernamen was zijn medewerking aan het LOWdOGS" gezelschap dat met het album "FOOd" een geheel andere muzikale richting uitgaat dan Kehr's albums "Long Long Year" ('99) en "Kris Kehr & Stone Poets" ('01).
Een mengeling van blues, country, americana, jazz, funk en rock dat door de Yankees het mooie stempeltje Americana Jam of Cowboy Jazz meekreeg en het logische vervolg bleek te zijn op het live album " All you Can Eat" ('03) dat kaderde in de muzikale samenwerking met Chris Q die onder de noemer "Recipe" het levenslicht zag. Slechts zes songs op dat schijfje en dat voornamelijk kan beschouwd worden als een stevig gitaarduel tussen beide heren weliswaar zonder winnaar. Met "Notes From the Crossroads" (Antwerpen ?) is onze vriend KK. terug opgedoken in het alt. country / americana landschap en, volgens mijn bescheiden mening, nog altijd zijn beste dada. Meer dan vijf jaren namen de vijftien songs in beslag om vereeuwigd te worden op het blinkende schijfje, opnames die plaatsvonden in verscheidene studio's waar nog al wat technisch personeel bij te pas kwam maar met het uiteindelijke resultaat dat KK. weer met recht en reden terug tussen "de mensen" mag plaatsnemen. Veel eigen verdienste natuurlijk maar ook meer dan één bloempje voor partner Julie Edlow (harmonyvocals, http://www.myspace.com/julieedlow) die dringend eens haar eigen persoontje in de schijnwerpers moet plaatsen ...al is de samenwerking met KKook fantastisch ( niet overtuigd kijk en luister eens op http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWGNwbgRMWs ) met zelfs een schitterende tribute to Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris. Maar wij heffen ook de loftrompet voor de huidige Stone Poets : Rev. James Horton / organ, piano, accordion, Dr. Dave Mudgett / electric gt, pedal steel, John "JK." Kennedy / upright & electric bass, Matt Cullen on drums en the former Poets ; Jack Wilkinson / drums, bassist Bill Stetz en lap - steeler Todd Bartolo ( Frog Holler)
Opener " I Think About Everything", "Sick & Tired" en "Our Dreams Back Then, no more loosers" zijn meteen raak ... Parsons, Harris, the Byrds, Dylan met alles er op en aan ..er is inderdaad geen enkel detail ontsnapt aan het arendsoog van KK, "Your Dreams" en "Something I Know" dobberen romantisch verder met een heerlijke, jankende pedal steel, al schuilt er in die laatste song net als bij "Around this World" (met een leuk orgeltje) een serieuze portie zelfkennis. "Dear Stephanie" versieren op a "Saturday" ...mission impossible ? Who knows .. misschien dat het uitdraait op een one night - stand maar wij beschouwen het bij Rootsville als één van de talrijke muzikale hoogstandjes. De terugkeer naar the good old days van "A Long Time Ago" ...met Kris Kehr & the Stone Poets is dit één triomftocht, met zijn ietwat schuurpapieren stem worden "I Want to Go Home", "You Can Run" beslist geen parels voor de zwijnen maar de eerste maximum notering voor het prille 2008. Het is dan ook uitkijken naar de op til staande Europese promo push tournee voor dit fantastische schijfje dat nog al wat nostalgie huisvest ( om : "Gone Are Those Days") maar "As far I Can see" ziet de toekomst er voor Kris Kehr & Stone Poets veel belovend uit. Besluiten doen wij met zijn eigen woorden ..... "It's All Good". Blue Highways Festival Utrecht, Nl, Cafe Crossroads, Antwerpen * ...nog op zoek naar een prima band ? KRIS KEHR & STONE POETS !! Welcome back !!! (SWA)

- Rootsville.Be

Kris Kehr, met of zonder Stone Poets, behoort nog steeds tot één van mijn favoriete singer - songwriters. Het laatste wat wij van de man uit de bergen van Western North Carolina vernamen was zijn medewerking aan het LOWdOGS" gezelschap dat met het album "FOOd" een geheel andere muzikale richting uitgaat dan Kehr's albums "Long Long Year" ('99) en "Kris Kehr & Stone Poets" ('01).
Een mengeling van blues, country, americana, jazz, funk en rock dat door de Yankees het mooie stempeltje Americana Jam of Cowboy Jazz meekreeg en het logische vervolg bleek te zijn op het live album " All you Can Eat" ('03) dat kaderde in de muzikale samenwerking met Chris Q die onder de noemer "Recipe" het levenslicht zag. Slechts zes songs op dat schijfje en dat voornamelijk kan beschouwd worden als een stevig gitaarduel tussen beide heren weliswaar zonder winnaar. Met "Notes From the Crossroads" (Antwerpen ?) is onze vriend KK. terug opgedoken in het alt. country / americana landschap en, volgens mijn bescheiden mening, nog altijd zijn beste dada. Meer dan vijf jaren namen de vijftien songs in beslag om vereeuwigd te worden op het blinkende schijfje, opnames die plaatsvonden in verscheidene studio's waar nog al wat technisch personeel bij te pas kwam maar met het uiteindelijke resultaat dat KK. weer met recht en reden terug tussen "de mensen" mag plaatsnemen. Veel eigen verdienste natuurlijk maar ook meer dan één bloempje voor partner Julie Edlow (harmonyvocals, http://www.myspace.com/julieedlow) die dringend eens haar eigen persoontje in de schijnwerpers moet plaatsen ...al is de samenwerking met KKook fantastisch ( niet overtuigd kijk en luister eens op http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWGNwbgRMWs ) met zelfs een schitterende tribute to Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris. Maar wij heffen ook de loftrompet voor de huidige Stone Poets : Rev. James Horton / organ, piano, accordion, Dr. Dave Mudgett / electric gt, pedal steel, John "JK." Kennedy / upright & electric bass, Matt Cullen on drums en the former Poets ; Jack Wilkinson / drums, bassist Bill Stetz en lap - steeler Todd Bartolo ( Frog Holler)
Opener " I Think About Everything", "Sick & Tired" en "Our Dreams Back Then, no more loosers" zijn meteen raak ... Parsons, Harris, the Byrds, Dylan met alles er op en aan ..er is inderdaad geen enkel detail ontsnapt aan het arendsoog van KK, "Your Dreams" en "Something I Know" dobberen romantisch verder met een heerlijke, jankende pedal steel, al schuilt er in die laatste song net als bij "Around this World" (met een leuk orgeltje) een serieuze portie zelfkennis. "Dear Stephanie" versieren op a "Saturday" ...mission impossible ? Who knows .. misschien dat het uitdraait op een one night - stand maar wij beschouwen het bij Rootsville als één van de talrijke muzikale hoogstandjes. De terugkeer naar the good old days van "A Long Time Ago" ...met Kris Kehr & the Stone Poets is dit één triomftocht, met zijn ietwat schuurpapieren stem worden "I Want to Go Home", "You Can Run" beslist geen parels voor de zwijnen maar de eerste maximum notering voor het prille 2008. Het is dan ook uitkijken naar de op til staande Europese promo push tournee voor dit fantastische schijfje dat nog al wat nostalgie huisvest ( om : "Gone Are Those Days") maar "As far I Can see" ziet de toekomst er voor Kris Kehr & Stone Poets veel belovend uit. Besluiten doen wij met zijn eigen woorden ..... "It's All Good". Blue Highways Festival Utrecht, Nl, Cafe Crossroads, Antwerpen * ...nog op zoek naar een prima band ? KRIS KEHR & STONE POETS !! Welcome back !!! (SWA)

- Rootsville.Be

ALBUM REVIEW FROM THE MORNING CALL/ALLENTOWN, PA - 1/19/08
KRIS KEHR & STONE POETS - ''NOTES FROM THE CROSSROADS''

(Woobie Cat #015)

The musical crossroads here are where alt-country and folksinger/songwriter music meet. The road is far from the city, and an easygoing place to travel. You can stop off to hear retro-country, led by Dave Mudgett's pedal steel and James Harton's honky-tonk piano. Or you might hear Kehr singing and strumming his guitar by the side of the road, with another friend and Julie Edlow singing harmony. Of course, life in the country isn't always peaceful. Kehr sings on the first track, ''I think about everything all the time,'' and his 15 songs meditate about many things and suggest many stories. The crossroads of the lyrics are wondering about which road to take, or whether the one chosen was the right one. Kehr sings about lost love, homesickness, dreaming of the past, being on the road. He doesn't spell things out as much as he creates a mood, contrasting his reflexive lyrics with his band's tight, smooth sound and insistent drive. ''It's such a mystery what this world has to offer,'' he sings, not pretending to know the answer but still compelled to figure things out. Kehr might not know his destination, but it is certainly worth traveling with him.

Dave Howell
- The Morning Call

ALBUM REVIEW FROM THE MORNING CALL/ALLENTOWN, PA - 1/19/08
KRIS KEHR & STONE POETS - ''NOTES FROM THE CROSSROADS''

(Woobie Cat #015)

The musical crossroads here are where alt-country and folksinger/songwriter music meet. The road is far from the city, and an easygoing place to travel. You can stop off to hear retro-country, led by Dave Mudgett's pedal steel and James Harton's honky-tonk piano. Or you might hear Kehr singing and strumming his guitar by the side of the road, with another friend and Julie Edlow singing harmony. Of course, life in the country isn't always peaceful. Kehr sings on the first track, ''I think about everything all the time,'' and his 15 songs meditate about many things and suggest many stories. The crossroads of the lyrics are wondering about which road to take, or whether the one chosen was the right one. Kehr sings about lost love, homesickness, dreaming of the past, being on the road. He doesn't spell things out as much as he creates a mood, contrasting his reflexive lyrics with his band's tight, smooth sound and insistent drive. ''It's such a mystery what this world has to offer,'' he sings, not pretending to know the answer but still compelled to figure things out. Kehr might not know his destination, but it is certainly worth traveling with him.

Dave Howell
- The Morning Call