Kilgore College is thrilled to announce that acclaimed blues-rock guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Ally Venable will perform a free concert Saturday, April 19, at Dodson Auditorium on the Kilgore campus.
This special homecoming event is part of her Money & Power Tour and will offer the community an opportunity to experience her electrifying performance live.
Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. with special guest Gary Hoey opening up the concert at 7:30 p.m.
The concert is free, but tickets must be reserved by visiting www.kilgore.edu/ally.
A native of Kilgore, Venable is a KC alumni and former dual credit student. She began singing at church at the age of four and picked up the guitar at age 12. By age 13, she had formed her own band, drawing early influence from blues legend Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Her dynamic stage presence and exceptional guitar skills have garnered her multiple accolades. It was 2019’s #2 Billboard Blues-charting “Texas Honey” and rocking sets on Ruf’s European Blues Caravan tour that propelled her internationally.
“Ally is the future of blues and the crossover music of American roots-rock,” said Mike Zito, renowned guitarist.
In what silenced many musicians during the pandemic, Venable, now in her 20’s, released another Blues Billboard-charting album, Heart of Fire (2021), which challenged her to write not only about love but the unguarded honesty of feeling pain.
“On this album, I really wanted to create a tone of overcoming your struggles and persevering through them,” Venable said.
Mentor and featured artist on this album, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, lends his guitar skills on XM Bluesville’s charted song, “Bring on the Pain.”
In 2022, Guitar World Magazine named Venable #2 on the “Top-15 Young Guns Making the Gibson Les Paul Cool Again,” and she received the “Road Warrior” award from the Independent Blues Music Awards.
Along with Venable’s own tour domestically and in Europe, she and her band have supported Buddy Guy and Kenny Wayne Shepherd throughout the US, as well as Colin James in Canada.
She has performed as a featured artist on the national Experience Hendrix Tour and her recent spring 2023 release, produced by Grammy award-winning producer Tom Hambridge, includes a duet with the iconic Buddy Guy and a song featuring powerhouse guitarist Joe Bonamassa. It debuted at #1 on the Billboard Blues Charts and has remained in the Top 100 since the release date.
Venable’s discography showcases her evolution as an artist, with albums such as No Glass Shoes (2016), Puppet Show (2018), Texas Honey (2019), Heart of Fire (2021), and her latest release, Real Gone (2023). Her music blends traditional blues with a modern rock edge, captivating audiences worldwide.
Venable will also host a private clinic with KC music students to discuss “what life in the music business is really like.”
“Opportunities like this are invaluable for our students,” said Peter Cunningham, director of choral and vocal studies at KC. “Connecting with an alumnus who has built a career as a professional musician gives them real-world insight, inspiration and a tangible example of where their passion for music can take them.”