Kelly Richey

Kelly Richey commands blues guitar with the raw force and technical command associated with icons such as Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn, earning her a devoted following within blues circles. She maintains a rigorous performance schedule reaching 275 dates annually, balancing the demands of constant touring with oversight of her independent recording output on her self-established label. Born November 30, 1962, in Lexington, Kentucky, she grew up in a Christian environment that discouraged rock and blues, yet developed an early passion for music. Despite challenges posed by dyslexia and ADHD, she mastered piano and drums on her own before receiving her first guitar at age 15. Intense daily practice enabled her to join a band within four months, assume leadership of her own ensemble a year and a half later, and begin touring shortly after completing high school.

In 1986 she entered the roots-rock group Stealin' Horses, which held a major-label contract, remaining until 1990 when she chose to pursue a solo path. After moving to Cincinnati, Ohio, she assembled the Kelly Richey Band, a power trio featuring her on guitar and vocals. The band's debut, Sister's Got a Problem, appeared in 1994 as the inaugural release on Sweet Lucy Records, the imprint she created to distribute her work. Its follow-up, the 1996 concert recording Live at Tommy's on Main, circulated widely by word of mouth and expanded her reach across the country, leading to shared stages with artists including Joe Cocker, James Brown, Lonnie Mack, Albert King, Johnny Winter, and Warren Zevon. She sustained an intensive touring regimen both with the trio and in solo acoustic or electric formats. Through Sweet Lucy she issued ten additional albums from 1997 to 2013. Outside of travel, Richey teaches guitar through in-person sessions and online instruction. She also works as a life coach, guiding clients toward recovery and motivation while recounting her own experiences surmounting substance issues and academic obstacles. As co-founder of the nonprofit Music for Change she supports music education in underfunded schools, and she later initiated the parallel program Writing for Change. In 2012 she released her debut book, the poetry collection Whisperings. She maintained her recording pace with the 2013 album Sweet Spirit, the 2014 live set Live at the Blue Wisp, and the 2016 release Shakedown Soul.