Local Blues Band Goes International

Kevin Purcell & the Nightburners have been playing at clubs and venues in the northwest suburbs for more than two decades, but a recent trip to Memphis to compete in the International Blues Challenge has catapulted the Wauconda band to a new level. 

“Memphis was a turning point of huge proportions,” said Kevin, a blues harp player.

“One of the things I was proud of is there was a whirlwind everywhere we were going. People were coming up to us on the streets and asking ‘Are you the Nightburners? We heard about you.’ “ Kevin recalled.

The Nightburners, sponsored by the Windy City Blues Society, made it to the final top nine bands of 226 bands chosen from around the world to compete on Beale Street, Jan 29-Feb. 2.

Success in Memphis led to the Nightburners getting booked for two days at the Chicago Blues Fest in June. The band will also play top blues events including Sin City Soul and Blues Revival, Las Vegas, NV, in September; and the King Biscuit Blues Festival in Helena, AR, in October. See Kevin Purcell and the Nightburners Facebook page to keep up on events.

Kevin headed down to Memphis with his wife and partner of 26 years, Candis, as well as about 30 loyal fans. The Nightburners are Tony Root on bass; Andy "Ang" Ohlrich, violin and vocals, Bill LeClair, keyboard and piano; Don Laferty, lead guitar; and Pete Kruse, drums and percussion.

“He Has a Style All His Own”

The top highlight of the trip to Memphis, for Kevin, was an interview on the Sonny Payne King Biscuit radio show in Helena, AR, the longest running blues radio show in the world.

Sonny Payne, whose blues radio show dates back to 1951, was more than nice to Kevin; he showered him with praise.

After listening to Kevin perform a blues harp solo, Sonny said, “He didn’t sound like somebody else. He sounded just like Kevin Purcell; he has a style all his own.”

Kevin said he was overwhelmed by Sonny’s praise. While Kevin admits he’s had no shortage of people telling him he’s a great harmonica player, praise from Sonny Payne was different because of Sonny’s legendary blues status.

Sonny told Kevin that he’s "heard ‘em all" and found it amazing that Kevin didn’t try to sound like anybody, but himself. He compared him to blues legend James Cotton.

Kevin also performed with a blues guitarist on Delta Sounds radio show, after which, Sonny told him, “That’s the first time you’ll ever hear it, a harmonica talking to his master.”

“Sonny Payne has seen it all. It was unbelievable,” Kevin said.

“Like a Lightning Rod into My Soul”

Kevin’s journey into the blues started in 1978, in Evanston.  His family was moving back into a home they had been renting to Northwestern University students. As they were cleaning it out, Kevin found a Marine band harmonica.

“I started playing it day in and day out. I didn’t know what I was doing,” he said.  “Then I heard Muddy Waters ‘Got My Mojo Working’ with James Cotton’s blues harp solo. It was like a lighting rod right into to my soul. I knew blues was going to be a part of my life,” Kevin said.

Over the years Kevin played with many top blues acts. But an experience while playing with Bobby Dixon at the Earl of Old Town was pivotal.

“A guy from Canned Heat was the bouncer and he said,  ‘Listen I hate to tell you this, but don’t ever sing here or play here again. That is not the blues.’ ”

“It’s the best thing that ever happened, because it was so brutal. I went back and listened to myself and realized what I was missing was depth,” Kevin said.

Kevin left college in his third year and propelled himself full time into the blues because he said he knew teachers at Roosevelt or Columbia could never teach him what he needed to learn.

After years of struggling as a musician, which included performing other styles of music, Kevin is glad to be pursuing the blues wholeheartedly and to have his band’s support.

“We’re not traditional blues, we’re always pushing the edge,” he said. “The blues is real music by real people. It is what you make people feel; that is the magic of the blues.”

See Kevin talk about how  “It All Came from the Blues.”

The Nightburners are currently working on a new CD, with all original music. The band has launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the project.  

Check out Kevin Purcell and the Nightburners performing in Memphis. 

Editor's note: I first wrote about Kevin for Lakeland Newspapers in 1992, after the Nightburners won the Benson & Hedges Blues Competition. Some years later, I became friends with Kevin and Candis. That article is not available online, although Kevin tells me he still has a copy.