WHO IS KEVIN BURT?
Kevin Burt, an Iowa Blues Hall of Fame member (class of 2019), has mesmerized audiences with his powerfully smooth and soulful vocals for nearly three decades. Paired with his unique harmonica and guitar presentation and his quick wit, Kevin engages with his audience, touching their souls while tickling their funny bones. Kevin is a self-taught musician (vocals, harmonica, and guitar) whose smooth, warm vocal presentation sets a mood of relaxed exhilaration, with a welcome mixture of serious music and infectious humor that audiences of all ages seem to enjoy. His voice and presence are powerful. His unique delivery ranges from the sweetest, fullest, juiciest come-on to the most playful growl. Most people have been introduced to him as a one-of-a-kind solo performer; however, he is a remarkable entertainer and frontman with his band, Kevin Burt & Big Medicine, with featured guitarist Ken Valdez, who is, himself, a masterful and revered musician in the Minneapolis music scene. The rhythm section of Eric Douglas (drums) and the incomparable Scot Sutherland (bass) provide a solid foundation for a soulful, funky, blues experience. When you have the Blues, Kevin Burt & Big Medicine might not cure you, but they will make you feel better!
Competing with 235 bands & solo/duo acts from around the world, he crushed it at the Blues Foundation’s 34th International Blues Challenge (IBC) in 2018, taking home top honors in three categories: first place in the Solo/Duo category; the Cigar Box Guitar Award recognizing him as the best guitar player in the Solo/Duo category; and the Lee Oskar Award for Best Harmonica Player. In 2019, Kevin was nominated for a Blues Music Award for his debut album, Heartland and Soul (Best Emerging Artist Album), and was inducted into the Iowa Blues Hall of Fame. In 2020, his Gulf Coast Records debut recording, Stone Crazy, was nominated in four categories for The Independent Blues Awards: Best Soul/Blues Album, Song (“Stone Crazy”), and Vocalist, as well as a nomination for Gateway Artist of the Year. He was also nominated for Best Soul/Blues album for the Blues Blast Awards and the Artist on the Rise Award. Additionally, he was awarded in 2021 the Bobby Rush Lifetime Achievement in Entertainment by the Jus’ Blues Foundation. That year he was also nominated for Acoustic Artist of the Year at the Blues Music Awards.
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