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Kenny Wayne Shepherd - Blue on Black - Guitar Lesson

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Kenny Wayne Shepherd - Blue on Black - Guitar Lesson

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Kenny Wayne Shepherd - Blue on Black guitar lesson video
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Trouble Is... album cover
Trouble Is...
1997 5:34
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Kenny Wayne Shepherd Blues Rock 1997 A minor
Capo Advisor 0 A minor · Original key

Blue on Black

"Blue on Black" is a blues rock track by the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, originally released on their second studio album, Trouble Is... (1997). Written by Shepherd alongside Mark Selby and Tia Sillers, it became a major commercial success, reaching number one on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and standing as that chart's top song of 1998. For electric guitar players, it offers an excellent study in expressive blues rock phrasing, dynamic chord work, and the melodic soloing style that defines Shepherd's playing.

  • "Blue on Black" was the most successful song on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart for the entire year of 1998.
  • The song was co-written by three writers: Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Mark Selby, and Tia Sillers, blending their songwriting strengths.
  • Originally an album cut from Trouble Is... (1997), it was later released as a single in 1998, reaching number one on mainstream rock radio.
Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Kenny Wayne Shepherd's Strat delivers the bright, articulate single-coil tone essential to his vocal-like blues phrasing, with the bolt-on construction providing the snappy responsiveness he needs for dynamic pick control.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Shepherd uses the Cry Baby's expressive filter sweeps as a lead voice in his solos, transforming his Strat's natural midrange into singing, human-like tones that complement his aggressive picking style.

Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9
Pedal

Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9

The Tube Screamer acts as a transparent clean boost pushing his Vibroverb's tubes harder for leads, preserving his single-coil pickup's dynamics while adding sustain without sacrificing the touch-responsive tone he relies on.

MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay
Pedal

MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay

Shepherd's occasional analog delay use adds depth and space to lead work, maintaining the transparency of his signal chain while letting his articulate Strat tone remain the focus of his bluesy phrasing.

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