 |
 |
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
"As the first
generation greats in bluegrass music slowly but Dick Kimmel has been associated with traditional bluegrass and old-time country music for more than 40 years as a performer, recording artist, and songwriter. Dick began playing music in the mid-1950's, singing traditional country duets with his brother, Charles. In 1962 Dick formed his first bluegrass band, a Chicago-area group of high school friends called, "The Bluegrass Ramblers." A decade later Dick, playing guitar and banjo, was touring throughout the United States with the West Virginia-based band, "Keen, Kimmel & Co." The "& Co" name is one that Dick has used for his bands for more than 30 years. Over the past three decades, Dick Kimmel has made more than two-dozen recordings and performed extensively on an international basis, most frequently with Dick Kimmel & Co, but also as a duo with either Adam Granger or Jerilyn Kjellberg or as a solo performer. Articles written about Dick Kimmel, his music, and his bands have appeared in a variety of magazines. Bluegrass Unlimited (August 2005) noted, "Dick Kimmel is a well-known and long-respected multi-instrumentalist and bandleader on both the bluegrass and old-time music scene." While living in West Virginia during the 1960's and 1970's, Dick performed with many great bluegrass and old-time musicians including Del McCoury, Dwight Diller, Hazel Dickens, and Andy Boarman. Many bands and musicians Dick recorded with during this period are included on his 1996 Copper Creek release, "Dick Kimmel - 25 Year Collection" (Copper Creek Records CD-0143). In 2008 Dick was inducted into America's Old-Time Country and Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame. Following a 1993 solo concert by Dick Kimmel at Scotland's Guildtown Bluegrass Festival, Scottish bluegrass promoter, John Sheldon, wrote, "Your performance was the highlight of the main concert and the audience was totally captivated and enthralled by your great selection of songs and instrumentals. Your program gave us a wonderful combination of soulful singing combined with multi-instrumental talent with a thoughtful blend of traditional and original bluegrass interspersed with marvelous old time material." Dick is a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist playing guitar, mandolin, and clawhammer banjo. His more than two-dozen recordings over the past 35 years include 7 bluegrass/old-time CDs for Copper Creek Records and cuts on compilation recordings released in the United States and Europe. Dick's solo CDs include his 1996 release, "Dick Kimmel ‑ 25 Year Collection" (Copper Creek Records CD‑0143), "Dick Kimmel ‑ Wild Turkey Rag" (Copper Creek Records CD‑0115) released in 1992, and a 2000 clawhammer banjo release, "Dick Kimmel ‑ Fishin' Creek Blues" (Copper Creek Records CD‑0173). Also, Dick wrote a book of the music found on his banjo CD for Mel Bay Publications. The June 2001 Banjo Newsletter featured a cover story on Dick Kimmel and his clawhammer banjo playing. Dick was proclaimed "West Virginia Ambassador of Good Will" by the West Virginia Legislature in 1978; earning the title for his "tireless promotion of the music of this state through performances, recordings, lectures, workshops, and coordination of bluegrass events." This title was expanded to "The Ambassador of Bluegrass," in a 1994 feature article for Bluegrass Unlimited, because of his varied involvements with bluegrass music on an international level. For 15 years Dick served as the Chair for IBMA's International Committee. For more that a decade, Dick served on the Board for the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame. He has coordinated entertainment for many festivals throughout the United States. Beside being a performer, Dick has written hundreds of articles and reviews for publications in North America, Europe, and Japan. On stage, Dick's emcee work paints a picture of bluegrass music and it's colorful history from information he gained as a writer/reviewer over the past 30 years for bluegrass magazines on an international basis. Dick Kimmel's performances include: IBMA's World of Bluegrass/Fanfest (Nashville, TN), Chippewa Valley Gospel Bluegrass Festival (Bruce, WI), Bismarck (ND) Bluegrass Festival, Martin Luther College (New Ulm, MN), Kissimmee (FL) Bluegrass Festival, Spencer Bluegrass Festival (Spencer, IA), European World of Bluegrass (Holland), Missouri River Bluegrass Festival (Washburn, ND), Carl May Festival (Germany), The Guildtown Bluegrass Festival (Guildtown, Scotland), The Opryland Hotel (Nashville, TN), Beartrap Summer Festival (Casper, WY); Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Festival (Richmond, MN), Station Inn (Nashville, TN), and The Black Hills Bluegrass Festival (Sturgis, SD). Dick's 5-piece bluegrass band, Dick Kimmel & Co, is based in southern Minnesota. The band's 2005 recording is a traditional bluegrass gospel CD entitled "Dick Kimmel & Co - My Lord Keeps a Record" (Copper Creek Records CD-0240). Also, Dick is part of 2 duos. Dick Kimmel & Adam Granger have collaborated for duo performances since the 1980's performing throughout the United States and Europe. In 2009, this duo released, "Dick Kimmel & Adam Granger - Live at the Rhein" (Jeep Records 2218). This 2-CD recording was recorded live at the Rhein River Arts Center in Dick's hometown, New Ulm, MN. Dick Kimmel & Jerilyn Kjellberg perform together both as a duo and with Dick Kimmel & Co. In April 2007, they released, "Dick Kimmel & Jerilyn Kjellberg - Somebody Love's You Darlin'" (Copper Creek Records CD-0245). Al Shusterman, from Backroads Bluegrass (KCBL, Scarmento, CA), writes, "Wow!! The impact of this extraordinary CD just takes your breath away. If you enjoy listening to authentic duets from years past, then this CD fits that bill...I was totally mesmerized while listening to this wonderful CD. The vocals were excellent and you could really feel the emotion and enthusiasm in their voices...The instrumental work was superb...I played the entire CD and received many calls to play it again....Truthfully, you need to play this CD several times in order to get the full impact from their beautiful voices and the great lyrics of each song." (May 23, 2007). Quotes about Dick Kimmel and his recordings:
"Now a Minnesota resident, the
acclaimed singer/picker has spent the last four decades bringing
traditional country, hard-core bluegrass and old-time string-band
music to an international audience."
"Kimmel artfully attacks the mandolin with amazingly successful results." Frank Godby, Bluegrass Unlimited, September 1979. "His vocal delivery is solid, pure and confident. . .His rendition of 'The Prisoner's Song' is one of the best and most soulful you are likely to ever hear." Alan Walton, Bluegrass Unlimited, January 1993. "Dick Kimmel can best be described as a musicologist, a staff writer for Bluegrass Unlimited for twenty years, record producer, country and bluegrass musician. There is very little about country music that Dick doesn't know about." Dave Brassington, Country Matters (England), October 1994. "This is (Dick
Kimmel's) first release concentrating on his clawhammer banjo
playing and it is long overdue...This is a very good project full of
honest vocals and excellent picking from Kimmel and all of the
others on this CD. From the opening strains of Tracy Schwarz's
'Fishin' Creek Blues,' through the closing strains of 'Dickie's
Discovery,' there is a lot to keep you coming back to this fine
music."
"This is hard
driving bluegrass. Anyone who loves bluegrass music will want
to add this to their collection."
"Dick's music moves from old‑time to Bluegrass with consistently high quality. Dick's fine lead vocals are the centerpiece of 'West Virginia, My Home.' The more I played Dick Kimmel's '25‑Year Collection,' the more I was amazed at Dick's wonderful talent, and the more I wanted to replay the CD." Frank Overstreet, Bluegrass Music News, Fall, 1996. "Dick Kimmel is excellent mandolin picker who also excels on guitar and clawhammer banjo, whilst having fine voice too. An extremely pleasing blend of old time, mountain and bluegrass." Pete Smith, Country Music Roundup (Great Britain), September 1996. "Dick Kimmel's 25‑Year Collection does a fine job commemorating Dick Kimmel's illustrious musical career." Dave Higgs, Bluegrass Breakdown, WPLN Radio, Nashville, TN. (December, 1996) "Dick Kimmel
has put together a clawhammer banjo masterpiece in "Fishin' Creek
Blues," probably my favorite work of his to date. He plays
with power and authority and a respect for the way these tunes
should be played." "Kimmel is a
known quantity, and he doesn't disappoint here. The playing is
crisp and well done..." "...a
delightful selection of songs...now ranked in my personal top ten." "Dick
Kimmel...is best known to bluegrass fans as a fine mandolin player,
but he has always been serious about the clawhammer banjo. Now
his fifth (Copper Creek) CD is dedicated entirely to this style.
Kimmel shows the full range of the clawhammer banjo whether as a
solo instrument or in an old time band or playing bluegrass."
"... a
recording steeped in tradition" "Veteran
Kimmel does an outstanding job playing clawhammer banjo on 17
well-chosen, mostly traditional tunes. An excellent & highly
enjoyable old-time album."
"Kimmel plays Bluegrass music with fervor and a reverence for the way the first generation greats believed it ought to sound." Suzanne Denison, Bluegrass Breakdown, December 1994. "A true veteran of the idiom. . ." Edward Munafo, Inside Bluegrass, November 1992.
|
