Blues rocker Kenny Wayne Shepherd is a natural to perform in Las Vegas this weekend, when tens of thousands of NASCAR fans will flood the city.
The 31-year-old musical genius not only has earned the respect of the blues world, he has gained a lot of attention in the automotive world — rebuilding and customizing muscle cars from the ’60s and ’70s.
“I’m just real passionate about cars, have been ever since I was a kid,” says Shepherd, whose Louisiana roots are revealed by his smooth drawl. “My career in music has enabled me to branch out into other areas of things I’m passionate about besides music; the biggest thing is automotive.”
Shepherd frequently is the subject of articles in such car magazines as Motor Trend and of television shows such as the Speed Channel’s “Hot Rod TV,” which recently featured a ’72 Dodge Charger he had restored.
“I definitely put them out on the road,” he says. “I’ve been to a couple of different racing schools, and I’m actually signing up for a NASCAR race school.”
The guitarist and vocalist will perform tonight through Sunday at the Orleans.
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