About

Bio

It all started when a friend of my Mom’s gave me a harmonica when I was about 3 years old. My Mom said that she told her friend, “If he ever makes a career in music, this is where it started.” Fast forward to 3rd grade. My teacher put on an original play every year, affectionately known as “The Third Grade Play.” I was cast as Harrigan and sang the song by the same name. I still remember the words. Fast forward eight years. My sisters took me to Carter Barron Amphitheater, in Washington, DC, to see The Temptations. WOW! That was life changing. Even at 10 years old, my mind was pretty much made up. I didn’t know how, but I was going to be an entertainer.

Fast forward to July 29, 1975. I was 14 years old. My big brother took me to see Bruce Springsteen at none other than - Carter Barron Amphitheater. HOLY MOLY! That was amazing. Another life changing event. I saw the future and its name was ROCK AND ROLL! I still remember seeing the lights fade to dark as the show began. I heard the piano and then, moments later, an overhead light revealed a single figure leaning his forehead on his arm on top of the microphone in its stand. Then the voice, more of a raspy whisper than anything, sang, “Spanish Johnny drove in from the underworld last night….”

When I began 9th grade and a new school, I met my first guitar teacher, George Orvis, a fellow student. We played a lot, and George could really play. He was patient and kind enough to put up with my beginner playing. I learned a ton from him. We tried a couple of times to start a band, but all we could find were guitar players. Bass and drums were impossible to find, so we jammed by ourselves, but never played a gig.

At that point, the closest thing to a gig that I played was in Brother Dennis Tamburello’s religion class. He was a great guy and a guitar player who was really supportive. He put together a list of songs that he thought would be good for George and me to learn. Then he asked me if I wanted to play a song with him in class. I jumped at the chance. We played Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Boxer.” I was so nervous, but I did OK. Especially after playing the song a million times before the “gig.” It left me wanting more.

Off to community college. I was a theatre major, and they had this little project called Stevie Stud and the Stilettos. It was a 50s band, and I had loved 50s music ever since discovering Sha Na Na several years before. I somehow weaseled my way in. We did the whole look--greased-back hair, tattoos drawn on with Magic Marker, and cigarette packs rolled up in T-shirt sleeves. We had our first gig in the student lounge on a Saturday afternoon. There were 14 people in the band, mostly theatre people with two or three music majors to guide us. We had more people in the band than in the audience. After a few years of playing dive bars and whatever other shows we could dig up, we went our separate ways.

I went off to acting school in Chicago. Played the Blue Monday Blues Jam with Frank Pellegrino at Kingston Mines a bunch of times but never got into a band. Acting school took most of my time. I graduated, moved back to Bethesda, MD, and started a band with my younger brother. We played gigs for several years until it just ran out of steam. Then I started a blues-rock band called The Impostors with my friend Greg. We did a ton of gigs, mostly in the Washington, DC area. Man, this was one of those revolving-door bands. Greg and I were the only ones that were in the band the whole time it was in existence.

Then I made my big move to Nashville. I went, as does every musician who moves there, with the intension of making it in music. I did some music. I played bass in a band for a couple years and played open mic nights, and wrote a few songs when I could, but nothing was happening. After three years I got an offer to start a band with my buddy Andy back in DC. I took it.

Andy put an ad in the Washington City Paper, and we got a couple of folks to audition but they just weren’t what we were looking for. Then Andy got a call from a fellow who said he played bass, and he knew a drummer, and they’d like to audition. I remember Louie and Jimi coming over, and from the first song it clicked. That, in a nutshell, is how The Hard-Core Troubadours were born. After several years of playing around the DMV and Baltimore, we kind of put the band on ice. Then after our third reunion, where we had a ton of fun, we decided to keep it going. So, we are still playing and having a ball.

After The Hard-Core Troubadours stopped playing in the early aughts, I started my own band, Kevin Driscoll and the Jaded Saints. This is another band that has had a bunch of members. But today’s lineup has been playing together for a lot of years. A lot of fun rockin’ roots blues roll.

Several years ago, I decided I was going to pursue solo shows. It is so raw and cool and exciting, and I am glad I decided to do it. I play a few times a month and these shows draw folks that prefer acoustic music.

I also play with my good friend Jed Duvall in a Paul McCartney tribute band called The McCartney Experience. Jed is amazing. His Sir Paul is spot on. Being a natural right hander, he learned to play bass and guitar left-handed. I get to sit back a little and sing harmonies, play guitar, bass (on songs that Jed plays piano), and mandolin, and not least of all, have a blast.

Thanks for reading. I hope this gives you a little understanding of how I am where I am.

Take care and be safe,

Kevin

The whole night was filled with awe, happiness, desire, inspiration, perspiration. I had never felt all of that together before in my life. I wanted to play in a band. I used to run around the house with a baseball bat as a guitar, acting like I was a rock star. Occasionally I’d pick up my brother’s or sister’s guitar and play “Satisfaction” on the low E string. I remember thinking that if I played it down close to the bridge it sounded like an electric guitar. I took piano lessons for two years, but I wanted to play guitar. My sister and brother showed me some chords, and I was off and running. Then Mom bought me a book, Play the Guitar In 30 Minutes, by Tony Mottola. Man, that book was my bible. It had chord tabs and songs. I learned a ton from that book.

Band members

Kevin Driscoll

Vocals, Guitars

Mark Giuliano

Keyboards

Jim Grice

Bass

Geoff Burrell-Sahl

Drums

Kevin Driscoll and the Jaded Saints

Andy Rutherford

Guitar, Vocals

Louie Newmyer

Bass

Jimi Lethbridge

Drums

The Hard-Core Troubadours

Kevin Driscoll

Vocals, Guitars

Bruce Allen

Drums