Keb' Mo' is an old-fashioned blues artist with a contemporary flare. His music is fashioned after the country blues style of Robert Johnson, but it is successfully blended with touches of soul and folk storytelling for an exciting, audience-pleasing sound. Mo' applies his musical talent and songwriting skills to his songs, using acoustic, electric, and slide guitar to augment the sounds and styles of his jazz and rock-based music. Mo' grew up with a love of gospel music, an influence still seen in his work today. His parents were originally from the South and they instilled a love of Southern blues and gospel in their son, who was born with the name Kevin Moore.
At the age of 21, Mo' began pursuing his passion for music in earnest. He was hired by Papa John Creach to tour with an R&B band. He also played on three of Creach's albums. On tour he began opening for bands like Mahavishnu Orchestra, Jefferson Starship, and Loggins & Messina. After some success on the touring circuit as an opening act, Mo' struck out on his own and released a solo album in 1980. Rainmaker was released on the Casablanca label, but the company folded shortly after so the album did not receive its fair share of publicity. Mo's spirits were not dampened and he continued to share his music with others.
Blues became his focus when he joined the Monk Higgins' band in 1983. He played guitar for the talented blues band and gained experience and insight over the next few years, learning from his peers. His growing love of blues prompted him to join the Rose Brothers vocal group and tour locally around Los Angeles. As he became a fixture in the LA blues scene he began to be noticed by others in the music industry as well as those outside it. In 1990 Mo' joined the cast of a local play. He portrayed a Delta bluesman in the play, titled Rabbit Foot. The role got him noticed by movie makers as well. Soon after, he played his idol Robert Johnson in a docudrama called Can't You Hear the Wind Howl?.
By 1994 he was ready to return to his musical pursuits. He released his first album under his new name, Keb' Mo', in 1994. He included two covers of Robert Johnson's old-fashioned tunes to pay tribute to one of his inspirations. The self-titled album also included 11 original songs. His album was being noticed nation-wide and his touring performances, like his set at the 1995 Newport Folk Festival, only helped him advance. His next album, Just Like You, was also received well by music lovers everywhere. Mo' continued to tour to promote his albums, but he soon found himself back in the studio recording Slow Down, which was released in 1998. Another addition to his collection came in 2000 when he released the solo album, Door.
