Kenny Wayne Shepherd-LaVista-5.7.25

Kenny Wayne Shepherd at The Astro in LaVista, Nebraska on May 7, 2025

Photos and Review by The Pit Magazine Contributor, Bob DeHart Photography

It was a great night at The Astro in LaVista! I finally got to see blues guitar legend Kenny Wayne Shepherd and his band. As a bonus, he was joined by another legend, blues singer Bobby Rush. The resume’s of these two guys is quite extensive with multi-platinum record sells, grammy nominations, and grammy wins, and for Rush an induction into the Blues Hall of Fame. This seems like a match made in heaven for these two to be able to get together. Bobby Rush is joining Kenny Wayne Shepherd on his current tour, with the first half of the show being songs from the recent release the pair just released, Young Fashioned Ways. The second half of the show is with the Kenny Wayne Shepherd band.

For being nearly 92, Bobby Rush is quite the entertainer. He sings, plays the harmonica, and tells a few jokes in between the songs. He is quoted as saying that he’s waited a long time for an opportunity like this. The album is an excellent blues album, how could it not be? With these two working together, it doesn’t get any better. They are great on record together and even better live.

The second half of the show was the Kenny Wayne Shepherd band mixing in some new cuts with the classic work spanning his career. It was a good mix of new and old with the crowd having solid reactions to the newer material. I get to shoot a lot of bands, some newer and some veterans. I can say that there is nothing quite like seeing a veteran like Kenny Wayne Shepherd on stage. The poise, confidence, and stage presence that some newer artists haven’t developed yet. And obviously, this guy can play. So fun to watch a master show what he can do. This was my first chance to see him and I’m glad I didn’t miss out. Catch this tour if you can, it’s two shows in one. Each set is amazing!