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The powerhouse vocalist and keyboardist Bill McKay might best be known for spending more than a decade touring with Colorado jamgrass band Leftover Salmon. And for those more familiar with his resume, McKay’s career also includes a five-year stint from 1995 to 2000 with a young slide guitarist — none other than Derek Trucks.
Of course, McKay’s musical cap feathers aren’t limited to his time with these renowned artists, but he has an uncanny ability to create a soulful groove that has been tapped by a lengthy list of local and national acts over the years. McKay, 56, also proudly fields his own outfit, the Bill McKay Band, which has existed for three decades now. The seasoned key man, who crafted his early jam chops playing clubs in Boulder, brings his talent full circle at the Fox Theatre on Wednesday, April 8, when he will open the evening with the BMB and then accompany the Other Brothers, a Front-Range-based Allman Brothers Band tribute group comprised of a stacked lineup of roots-rock talent.
“It’s going to be a fun night,” McKay enthuses. “I’ve got a long history with the Fox. I’ve been playing there since the very first month it opened [in 1992]. Back then, I was in a group called Band du Jour that would sell out the venue, and we played a lot of the Boulder clubs. This show with the Other Brothers kind of came up because an old friend of mine, James Hambleton, who was in a band called Doug and the Thugs back in the early ’90s, and who played the same places in Boulder that I played, said he was coming to town and that he wanted to do something with me. So he contacted the Fox, and they and the promoter, Z2 Entertainment, suggested that we do the Other Brothers with the Bill McKay Band. So the gig turned into BMB opening for the Other Brothers with special guest James Hambleton. James will sit in with my band and then do a couple tunes with TOB as well.”
Concertgoers can expect a variety of McKay’s soul-tinged blues-and-funk stylings over the course of the evening. From classic and eclectic covers to some of his original material, McKay has the ability to open up the pipes and authentically channel classic soul and rock. Hambleton, who filled the lead guitar slot for Doug and the Thugs back in the day, has also loaned his guitar work to local bands, including Highway 50, which was founded by former Samples member and keyboardist Al Laughlin. In addition to McKay, the Other Brothers takes in members of JJ Grey & Mofro, Circles Around the Sun and The John Oates Band. McKay says the tribute group started as a project for a birthday party and has evolved into an ongoing ensemble. McKay’s self-named band will include his longtime guitarist Ash Ganley, Rob Garland on bass and Jack Watson on the drums.
“One of the guitarists in the Other Brothers, James Dumm, pulled us all together six or seven years ago, back around COVID times,” recounts McKay. “It was originally going to be a one-time thing for a birthday show, but we were all so blown away by the energy of it that we started booking more gigs, and it’s gone on to become a viable group. It’s a Colorado-based collective of all-star players, and it’s difficult to find times when everyone can do it since we all play in different bands, and it includes six to seven people. I feel lucky when we get everyone together.”
The Other Brothers, which McKay describes as “kind of a ’90s version of the Allman Brothers,” comprises James H. Dumm and Rob Eaton Jr. on guitars, McKay on keys, a bassist (usually Todd Smallie, with Jiho Han filling in on the low end at times, as he will for this Fox performance) and two drummers, Mark Levy and John Michel, as well as percussionist Will Trask, who is also a member of the High Hawks, among other acts. McKay says that while the rhythm section personnel shifts around at times, depending on the players’ availability, the overall lineup is stable.
“I never planned on covering the Allmans,” confesses McKay. “I have a lot of deference for their work, so I stayed away from it. But with the passing of Greg Allman and Dickey Betts there’s a big demand for their music now. Taking on the role of Greg is big deal for me. I have such respect for this music, and having been a part of their extended [Allmans] family with Derek it means even more. Kudos to James Hambleton for being the impetus to get this Fox thing going. I’ve been fortunate to get calls from a lot of bands over the years, and I like to keep it local when I can.”
Other Brothers (Allman Brothers Tribute) with Bill McKay Band featuring James Hambleton, 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 8, Fox Theatre, 1135 13th Street, Boulder.
