Kenny Vaughan


Kenny Vaughan is an American guitarist. He is best known as a long-time member of Marty Stuart’s supporting band, The Fabulous Superlatives.

Career

Early life

Vaughan was born in Oklahoma, but raised in Denver, Colorado. His guitar instructor was Bill Frisell. Soon, Vaughan was playing in a local progressive jazz band, then began playing country music in local bars.
Vaughan was a member of Colorado punk band Jonny III in the late 1970s and early 80s. This band started Vaughan's partnership with his long-time songwriting partner Jeffrey Leroy Smith, better known as Leroy X. He moved to Nashville in the 1980s, where he became known as a country music guitarist.
Along with Greg Garing, Vaughan was in part responsible for revitalization of Nashville’s historic Lower Broadway district. They drew crowds of listeners while playing in the back room of Tootsie’s.
Vaughan was briefly a member of McBride & the Ride in 1994, and later, of Trent Summar & the New Row Mob.

Touring and recording

Vaughan has been a member of Marty Stuart’s Fabulous Superlatives since its inception in 2002. Previously, he toured with Lucinda Williams as she promoted ‘’Car Wheels on a Gravel Road’’. He also has supported Allison Moorer and Kim Richey.
Vaughan's one and only solo album is V, made with members of The Fabulous Superlatives and Marty Stuart himself. The album, released in 2011, is a mix of country, rockabilly, and blues songs written by Vaughan, and includes three instrumental tracks.
In addition to his session work and touring with the Fabulous Superlatives, Vaughan performs as part of his own trio whenever he returns to Nashville. The Kenny Vaughan Trio also includes Jeffrey Clemens on drums and Dave Roe on bass.

Awards

In 2002, Vaughan was inducted into the Colorado Country Music Hall of Fame.
In 2006, Vaughan received the Americana Music Association's Instrumentalist of the Year award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award for Instrumentalist.

Music Equipment

Vaughan primarily plays chambered-body guitars by Floyd Cassista with Lindy Fralin pickups. His amplifiers have been a Fender Princeton Reverb and a Valco 1x12 combo.
Working with input from Vaughan, Marty Stuart, and Paul Martin, RS Guitarworks produced the Superlative series of guitars and basses.

Discography

Solo albums