Kelly Joe Phelps is an outstanding Oregon-based guitarist with his musical foundation set firmly in country-blues and folk. Immersed in Miles Davis, John Coltrane and the blues of Skip James, Robert Pete Williams and Mississippi Fred McDowell, his first albums featured only Phelps on guitar and vocals.
Phelps' latter recordings were filled out with a full band sound, and he has begun to pull back from being guitar-led to concentrate more on his songwriting.