Kevin Fayte Rock'n'Roll Trio

Kevin Fayte and the Fortunes Band Review at IQ's Food and Music in Green Bay, Wisconsin

By TJ
December 15, 2008
If you are trying to find a more authentic sounding Rockabilly than Kevin Fayte and the Fortunes then it is time to get out your suitcase record player and start dusting off your 45s from the 50s. This hotrod trio, forming in the spring of  2008 from North Eastern WI just started burning their tires across this great state and have been blowing the roofs off of nonsuspecting bars and clubs ever since. Now if you're not exactly sure what the rockabilly sound is, take one part Elvis, one part Johnny Cash a dash of western swing, blend together and serve on fire! Kevin's vocals are great, on key and on point. His guitar playing is striking, hot finger picking, clean leads, and a diving vibrato on the Gretsch guitar that pulls out a haunting, retro echoing tone via his fender tweed amp. The Fortunes have Kevin's back all the way. Joe the bass player "owns" the up right bass with amazing skills on the top, and bottom of the fret board. Joe's bass lines percussive and rhythmic with loads of technique, but he manages to keep it cool, and makes it look easy, while backing up Kevin on vocals. Trent, on drums, holds the beat which can vary from straight rock, to a swing time feel. Trent is very creative using every square inch of his drum kit to clunk, clank, and bang to the Rockabilly being dished out by Kevin and Joe. The thing I was most impressed with was how full sounding they are for just being a trio. There is very little room for error in a three piece band and the performance can be as fragile as thin ice! Kevin and the Fortunes played great! Almost every song was upbeat and rocking. They seamlessly stitched in their originals with some of the greatest and earliest rock music of all time. The performance is nostalgic and most impressively the songs and vibe reached out to the audience. By Kevin Fayte and the Fortunes second set, the bar patrons relocated the stage front chairs and tables elsewhere and claimed that section for dancing that evening. That alone shows you that people weren't expecting to dance, rock and have a great time, the songs and energy of  Kevin Fayte and the Fortunes made it happen.  Playing timeless classics like Elvis's "That’s Alright (Mama)" Buddy Holly's "Peggy Sue" and Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues."  The tempo slowed down for the instrumental "Sleepwalk" by Richie Valens, a song that is almost an anthem or tribute to 50s era of Rock and Roll and Rockabilly. Kevin and the Fortunes are set to record their first album this spring.

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