KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD BAND – MYSTIC LAKE SHOWROOM – PRIOR LAKE MN – OCTOBER 17TH 2026

Review and Photos by Patrick Dunn

LEDBETTER HEIGHTS 30TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR

For the 30-year celebration of Ledbetter Heights, Kenny Wayne Shepherd took a fresh approach to planning his take on an industry theme that has become somewhat commonplace; the “Anniversary Tour”. In preparation for the live shows, Shepherd made an ambitious choice to go back into the studio and record a new version of his debut album, originally released when he was just 18 years old. The intention was to get back in touch with this material in order to present it in the way it was originally intended. The benefits turned out to be two-fold, enabling Shepherd to re-work some of his parts while also providing an opportunity to release a version of this album featuring lead vocals by Noah Hunt who has been an important component to this band’s sound for 29-years. This collection of songs originally made a quick sprint to gold status, eventually reaching platinum and also spent 10-weeks at #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart. I would say being able to launch a new tour in support of this album now 30-years later is a testament to how well this material has stood the test of time. The passion behind this project can also be seen in all the little details like reproducing the original album cover design for the 30th Anniversary Sessions, but with Shepherd’s current likeness.

The tour’s stop at Mystic Lake Showroom provided an enjoyable setting to experience this substantial 2-hour performance — no opening act necessary. The dynamic light show had the band lit up beautifully and included enhanced viewing on two large screens. Recognition is warranted for the heads-up video coverage that provided visibility in the right places at the right moments, especially the tight focus on all the guitar solos. Most importantly, the sound quality was excellent, maintaining Shepherd’s guitar clearly present in the mix throughout. His live tone was enviable and was worthy of being called out as a highlight.

While the typical anniversary show performs an entire album front to back, Shepherd chose to deliver all the tunes in an order that better serves the live story. Although title track “Ledbetter Heights” closes out the recorded album, how can you not start the Anniversary show with this instrumental blues rocker. The tune stirred up excitement around Shepherd’s playing and seeing it come to life on the Crossroads Strat was poetic. Transitioning directly into “Born with a Broken Heart”, it was easy to see how Hunt elevates the band’s overall energy and his voice is still good as ever with great stamina.

When Shepherd took time to address the audience, he reflected on his career and the significance of this tour, calling out “Deja Voodoo” as the song that introduced his band to the world. Playing this crowd favorite early in the set was impactful and hearing the updated version was a window into how Shepherd’s chops have progressed. Pairing this Hendrix inspired classic with the SRV-esque solo in “Shame, Shame, Shame” was a power move that satisfied everything I was hoping for from this show but realizing that there was still so much more ahead. Another effective song pairing provided space for the rest of the band to shine. The horn driven “Everybody Gets the Blues” featured Doug Woolverton (trumpet) and Charlie DiPuma (saxophone) with a highlight being Joe Krown’s piano solo that really establish a New Orleans festival vibe. The moody feel of “I’m Leaving You” was heightened by a call and response section, first between Hunt and Shepherd with Woolverton also getting a piece of that action.  “One Foot on the Path” and “What’s Goin’ Down” both have such good hooks that it was especially enjoyable to hear them performed live. The Ledbetter Heights portion of the show concluded with “While We Cry”, which inspired the audience to show their appreciation with thunderous applause and a much-deserved standing ovation.

Understanding that fans may want to hear some tunes beyond the anniversary album scope, Shepherd added a lot of bang for your buck by including some of his newest material, a few cover tunes and his biggest hit “Blue on Black”.

SETLIST:
Ledbetter Heights
Born with a Broken Heart
What’s Goin’ Down
Deja Voodoo
Shame, Shame, Shame
Riverside
Aberdeen
One Foot on the Path
I’m Leaving You (Commit a Crime)
Everybody Gets the Blues
(Let Me Up) I’ve Had Enough
While We Cry
BONUS MATERIAL:
I Got A Woman
Watch You Go
Talk To Me Baby (Elmore James)
Dark Side of Love
Blue on Black
Turn to Stone (Joe Walsh)