BeatRoute Magazine [AB] print e-edition - [April 2018]

KEVIN HERRING
August 3, 1961 - March 23, 2018
Kevin Herring unexpectedly passed away
while relaxing at home on a Friday night.
He died from an aortic dissection. In addition
to being a tremendous, highly-respected
musician, he was a wonderful family man,
a gentleman of gentlemen, who didn’t have
a vain or mean bone in his body. He will be
sadly missed by his wife, two daughters and
a multitude of friends throughout Calgary’s
music community.
Born in High River, he moved to Calgary at
an early age and developed a deep fascination
for The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and many of the
guitar greats – Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and B.B.
King. Kelly Alliston, who was Kevin’s bandmate
and best friend for 34 years, recalls when
they first crossed paths.
“I met Kev playing on the road in 1984 doing
the cover tune, bar band thing. Sistor Cruz,
Dillinger – cue all the Spinal Tap references.
We were in some small town and needed a
guitar player quick. The singer knew Kev and
he showed up at the next gig with his Telly
and Les Paul, dragging a Marshall stack.”
Kevin and Petra Herring.
6 | APRIL 2018 • BEATROUTE
Over the years, Alliston and Herring would
play and record in different rockabilly and blues
bands, which, in turn, influenced other players
and the local scene. Alliston says, “He gave his
unique guitar prowess to so many musicians and
bands, always positive and ready to go.”
That Herring was, absolutley – positive and
ready to go. The short list of bands he played
with include The King Rats, Handsome Devils,
Jane West Band, Loaded Dice which morphed
into Dice Deluxe, Hurricane Felix and the
Southern Twisters, The Ronny Hayward Trio and
The Lovebullies. Well known for his rock-solid
commitment, never-ending support and genuine
enthusiasm, Herring was both a pleasure to
play with and often the most-valuable member
on the team in that he championed everyone
else in the bands he played in. His selfless
nature brought the best out in those who were
fortunate to have shared the stage with him.
Moreover, it’s also what made him a fantastic
husband and father.
For a guy who played in plenty of bands,
was out in plenty of clubs, had plenty of charm
and knew exactly what the playing field was all
about, his heart was completely sown into his relationship
and family. Wife and kids first, guitars
and bands second, while holding down a steady
job laying carpet. In 1986, Herring meet his true
love, Petra, who recalls their first encounter and
early years together.
“I was a waitress at Smitty’s and Kevin would
come in for breakfast with his friends. Then
he started to come in on his own and I would
tell all the girls that I don’t care whose section
he’s sitting in, he’s mine! I got off early one day
and asked if I could join him for a coffee. I was
smitten. I do remember my heart sunk a little
bit when he told me he was a guitar player in a
band. The stereotypical musician came forefront
to my mind, but he soon proved
me wrong just by being himself.
“Just a short three months
later he told me he was moving
to Abbotsford with the band
(Renz Ibarra, they played original
music). I went out for a visit with
his brother, Alan, and ended up
moving out there shortly after.
We lived with the band on a
raspberry farm for a few months
before finding an apartment on
our own. (The band played) the
lower mainland circuit, I went
to most of the gigs, and when I
didn’t, I had total trust in him. He
never gave me reason to think
otherwise. The band was not
together anymore and we ended
up moving back to Calgary and
getting married in 1989.”
Shortly thereafter Herring joined The King
Rats, along with Alliston and Mike Fury. It was
his foray into rockabilly – a new experience that
he embraced and worked hard to be part of. He
stayed with the band for five years releasing two
CDs with Alliston and Fury. Fury, who started
the project, remembers the beginnings of their
relationship.
“He had shoulder length, fluffy red hair. He
looked all-wrong for the King Rats, but he could
play and was really into it. He was already a gifted
rock guitarist when he started playing rockabilly.
His experience was intimidating, but he was also
eager to learn about ‘50s rock and roll.”
Fury adds that when Herring moved on to The
Ronnie Hayward Trio, which lingered into the early
to mid-2000s, they were responsible for helping
to establish the “veteran jam crowd” at the Ship
and Anchor on Saturday afternoons, which the
pub is now well-known for.
At that time, Herring also developed a musical
relationship with Caroline Connolly who fronted
the roots–based Jane West Band. They would
continue to work with each other up until his
death. As the lead guitarist for The Lovebullies,
Calgary’s swanky, lounge-pop act featuring
Connolly, Joni Brent, Chantal Vitalis and Paul Jahn,
Herring was an integral member of a band that
had a very strong female presence and perspective.
While Herring wasn’t prone to politicize or
lather a philosophical angle about his own feminist
beliefs, it was definitely implied and the proof
in the pudding… he had a feminist heart. Vitalis
agrees wholeheartedly.
“Kevin, to me, was
indeed a feminist, but we
actually never talked about
that. It was just something
I/we felt. He always talked
to us Lovebully gals as
equals and treated us
with the utmost respect.
I see that same respect in
his relationships with the
other women in his life,
as well. I think he valued
hard work and common
decency. He got us to try
new things, to put in the
work, to play as hard as
anyone else he shared the
stage with. He saw us as
‘fellow’ musicians.”
Connolly adds, “I think
that his mother was a
powerful feminine force in
his life early on. His father
was a small town doctor,
likely making house calls all
hours of the day and night.
Eileen raised four boys and
Herring rippin’ it up with Dice Deluxe.
BY B. SIMM
a daughter. She raised Kevin to be a fine man who
respected everyone he encountered.”
Along with Herring’s passion playing and
recording music, he was an avid collector and
connoisseur of guitars and amplifiers searching
for that perfect tone to suit the style and sound
of the band he was playing with. Herring was
meticulous at documenting his findings in
detail, ranging from the amps and guitars he
experimented with, right down to the picks, pick
angles and string gauges he used. A thorough and
disciplined researcher.
And yet, he had another talent, which he kept
close to home. Going back to his school days, Herring
started drawing cartoons which he collected
and archived. “He was a true artist,’ says Petra. “His
cartoons are great. In fact, I always told him he
should put the carpet tools away and get back to
drawing. The girls and I would always get handdrawn
cards for Valentine’s Day. Best present ever.”
In addition to Petra, Herring is survived by two
daughters. Alyssa (22) is finishing a BA with a major
in Liberal studies at St. Mary’s University , while
Caitlin (19) is following her father’s footsteps performing
on stage acting, dancing and singing. She
has worked with the Young Canadians, Theatre
Calgary and now has her own band that played
at her father’s Celebration of Life, which drew
hundreds of musicians and friends to the Royal
Canadian Legion No. 1. Caitlin took the stage
and sang The Beatles’ “Don’t Let Me Down”…
something Kevin Herring would never do.