People, Locations, Episodes

Keb Mo, Blues Musician born

Keb Mo

*Keb Mo was born on this date in 1951. He is a Black singer, composer, and musician.

Born Kevin Moore in Compton, CA, Keb' Mo' started his musical career playing steel drums and upright bass in a calypso band. He moved on to play in various blues and backup bands throughout the 1970s and 1980s.  Influenced by his uncle's business side of music, he started recording in the early 1970s with Jefferson Airplane violinist Papa John Creach. Creach hired him when Moore was just twenty-one years old; Moore appeared on four of Creach's albums: Filthy, Playing My Fiddle for You, I'm the Fiddle Man, and Rock Father.

Around that time, Moore was also a staff writer for A&M Records and arranged demos for Almo-Irving music. Keb' Mo's early debut, Rainmaker, was released on Chocolate City Records in 1980. He was further immersed in the blues playing in the Whodunit Band, Albert Collins, and Big Joe Turner.  In 1994, Keb' Mo' released his self-titled debut album, which featured two Robert Johnson covers, "Come On In My Kitchen" and "Kind Hearted Woman Blues."  In 1996, he released Just Like You, his second album, featuring twelve Delta rhythms songs. He won his first Grammy Award for this album. In 1997, Mo performed on the television program Sessions at West 54th. Slow Down was released in 1998 and earned him a second Grammy Award. That same year, he portrayed Robert Johnson in a documentary, Can't You Hear the Wind Howl?

His fourth album, The Door, was released in 2000 along with Big Wide Grin, a children's album.  In 2004, he released Keep It Simple, which earned him a third Grammy Award, and his sixth studio album, Peace... Back by Popular Demand. In 2004, he participated in the politically motivated Vote for Change tour. Keb' Mo' is part of the No Nukes group that is against expanding nuclear power. Keb Mo released Suitcase in 2006. In 2007, he performed at the Sundance Film Festival and played the role of the mischievous spirit Possum in the 2007 John Sayles movie Honeydripper. In 2009, he released the live album Live & Mo'.

In 2020, his album "Oklahoma" won another Grammy for Best Americana Album.  Keb Mo is married and has two sons.

To Become a Musician or Singer

To Become a Conductor or Composer