Lou Wamp, Resophonic Guitar, Fiddle, Mandolin

After knowing just a few things about Lou Wamp, there might be an irresistible tendency to begin tossing out labels: “Driven”, “Renaissance Man”, “Multi-talented”, “Perplexing”, or, perhaps if he himself were doing the labeling, just “Perplexed”. Easy enough to understand, given he’s at once a 25-year veteran of the music business, a registered architect with a successful practice (see www.louiswamp.com), impressively talented artist and painter, amateur archaeologist, and father and stepfather to six kids.

Besides being a sought after sideman and studio musician, he certainly has the skill to be a solo artist in his own right. Born in Ft. Benning, GA in 1956, Lou had plenty of music (Elvis to Travis; Bach to Beatles) around home while growing up. After piano lessons and playing guitar in his high school jazz band, a broken wrist encouraged him to take up resonator guitar. Gene Wooten became a close friend and mentor. Lou played on “Sidemen” nights at the Station Inn in Nashville and was in a band called Hiwassee Ridge that performed at the 1982 World’s Fair in Knoxville. Other bands he’s worked with include James Monroe and the Midnight Ramblers, The Dismembered Tennesseans, Cowjazz, Blue Moon Rising, and others.

In 2004, he formed the Wizards of String (now Swing Shift) and released his debut resophonic guitar project, “ResOlution” produced by Butch Baldassari featuring 9 original instrumental tunes (and 2 great covers) with guest artists Jim Hurst, Byron House, Andy Leftwich, Justin Moses, Tom Roady and Jessica Lovell and Lynn Wamp. It was a labor of love and all involved believed strongly in the talents of a fine reso player who, with this project, would prove he could stand with the giants of the industry. Lou continues to play, write, record and collaborate with the above and a number of other great musicians.

“Americana + Jamgrass + Classic Country = Bucktown Kickback
…Fans of artists such as The Gourds, Yonder Mountain String Band, the Grateful Dead and Whiskeytown will find plenty to cheer about in the songs and eclectic-but-focused style of Bucktown Kickback…The recipe for Bucktown Kickback sports heavy doses of bluegrass drive and fleet-fingered chops, plenty of tear jerking honky-tonk, a sprinkle of rock swagger and singer-songwriter flair, and Dudding’s love of narrative songwriting and easygoing melodies…Blurring the lines between Americana, jamgrass, honky-tonk and roots rock…”
David Brewer, HIGH COUNTRY PRESS, Boone, NC

“With a name like Bucktown Kickback, you may as well not even show up to the venue if you can’t throw down with some good old-fashioned, fiery, oh-mama-that’s-what-I-like roots tunes. Luckily for you, these dudes can do that and more, touching perfectly on everything from country slide blues to creepy, creek-bed-at-night Americana. I dare you to miss this.”
By Josh Ruffin, METRO SPIRIT, Augusta, GA (picks for the week)

“Bucktown Kickback Mine Alt-Country GOLD
Dudding — singer, songwriter and creative force behind Bucktown Kickback — produced much of the band’s 2007 disc “Lost In Your Hometown” to sound like prime Appalachia. The record effectively balances roots grit and country rock coherence. “Seven Number Blues” is an enlightened redneck tune that sounds like a “Basement Tapes” leftover. “That’s Life” is a slow burn of honky-tonk molasses. A Neil Young-type rocker, “A Shooting Star,” closes the record. But the heart of “Lost…” is Dudding’s songs and lived-in vocals. While the embellishments are tasteful, the material could stand up fine presented by Dudding and his acoustic.”
Matt Wake, BOOTLEG

“LOST IN YOUR OWN HOMETOWN (September 18, 2007 Lower 40 Records) pushes up the tempo a bit more than their laid-back debut release; with a little more percussion, a little more soloing and a lot more of Dudding’s songwriting…the images are still there, sometimes haunting, sometimes playful and sometimes self-effacing, working to paint a portrait on a lyrical canvas that is only enhanced with a delicate guitar strum or a cooking banjo lick.”
Cole Christensen, SENTINEL TRIBUNE, Bowling Green, OH

“BUCKTOWN KICKBACK slide easily from Bluegrass to Country to a rootsy Americana at the drop of a wide-brimmed hat…The country palette of the Grateful Dead, The Roots Pop spark of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.”
Staff Writer, CITYBEAT, Cincinnati, OH