Keb ’ Mo ’ is an fivetime Grammy ® - winning singer , songwriter , and blues guitarist who will bring his talents to the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington on June 15 , at 8 p . m . Born Kevin Roosevelt Moore , Keb ’ Mo ’ s extensive catalog includes acclaimed projects such as Martin Scorcese Presents the Blues : Keb ’ Mo ’ ( 1994 ), and his collaborative album with fellow contemporary blues pioneer , Taj Mahal , TajMo ( 2017 ). Keb ’ spoke with us about his newest album , Good to Be ; his return to his childhood home in Compton , California , and the importance of using music as a tool to bring people together .

JEREMY COWART

Thanks for joining us , Keb ’! We ’ re looking forward to hearing you perform some selections from Good to Be at the Mahaiwe . The project was inspired by your return to your childhood home in Compton . How did going back there set the stage for the album ? My aim and my intention with my music is always to write about something I know and something that ’ s close to me . Purchasing that house and re-entering that neighborhood was a journey that took me back and forward at the same time .

There were a lot of memories in there , and I liked the coziness of it . The house and the neighborhood weren ’ t exactly like they were when I was growing up , but a lot of the same traditions are still there , like the Compton Cowboys . [ The Compton Cowboys are a group of childhood friends who use horseback riding and equestrian culture to improve their community . They also can be seen in the music video “ Good to Be .”] It ’ s a new Compton and it ’ s a new time , but I feel

rooted there because my family bought the house in 1963 . In my own head , I ’ m an integral part of that neighborhood .

Your musicality spans a wide range of genres , incorporating everything from blues , rock , and country to world music . Were there any specific genres or musical eras that influenced Good to Be ? When I was creating it , I was listening to the same records that I ’ ve been listening to since the ’ 70s . I like to listen to music that has lasted through time that

we ’ re still listening to collectively to a large degree . I tend to lean towards Herbie Hancock , Quincy Jones , Joni Mitchell , Paul Simon , Bonnie Raitt , and James Taylor — things that are forever cool .

James Taylor has an undeniable gift for songwriting . He also lives here in the Berkshires . What is it about his music that speaks to you most ? I discovered James Taylor when I was about 20 years old . I heard “ Fire And Rain ,” and the song-

8 // BERKSHIRE MAGAZINE May / June 2024