I first met Sherri McGee in the early late ’80s, she the band called Velvet Elvis and I was in a band called Stealing Horses. Velvet Elvis got signed to Enigma Records, and Stealing Horses were signed to Arista Records. Sherri ended up in Los Angeles, and I ended up in Nashville. It wasn’t until late 2017 that Sherri and I got to play together during a benefit show with the Binders, a female band in Lexington, KY. It was magic!
I asked Sherri if she would be interested in forming a power duo and seeing what we sounded like together. It was total comfort from the first note, and we’ve continued to play together, for the love of music, ever since!
In The Studio
We recorded three songs and released three music videos early last year, and we wove together a promotional video to give people a taste of what to expect. Here’s the result our first time in the studio together— The Spear Shakers: Featuring Kelly Richey & Sherri McGee Promotional Video.
Sherri and I played festivals throughout 2019 and maintained a steady monthly show at the Greenwich, in Cincinnati, OH. I love the Greenwich and the owner, Mark Yates, is a beautiful soul! He is a friend and fierce supporter of live music. The Greenwich is the oldest Jazz club in Cincinnati. When it comes to music, Cincinnati is a deep well. It’s the home of King Records, one of the two original “Cotton Club’s,” and Verve Records. The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) is an internationally renowned institution for the performing arts, and there is the SCPA, which is a world-class public K-12 arts school.
Live Performance Video
I wanted to document my time on stage with Sherri, so I made it a habit to set my iPad up and record our shows. Here is a link to a few videos shot at the Greenwich last year; Feeling Under and Rising Sun— enjoy!
Feeling Under – – Live at the Greenwich October 2018
Words & Music by Kelly Richey
Rising Sun – Live at the Greenwich October 2018
Words & Music by Kelly Richey
People ask why we don’t have a bass player– I’m a huge fan of the White Stripes, the Black Keys, and the Flat Duo Jets– their music has been a source of inspiration throughout the years. I love the freedom that this stripped-down format has brought to my creative process; it’s changed the way I play guitar, it’s broadened my guitar sound, and it’s renewed my love for live performance.
Follow Our Music
Check out my music page and read more about the Spear Shakers, Sherri McGee, and my Music performance history. Check out our calendar and come catch a rare live performance– The Spear Shakers Live. And, if you’re interested in learning how to play guitar, check out my guitar lesson page: Guitar Lessons by Kelly Richey!
Here’s one more video— Something’s Going On! This is a live studio performance by The Spear Shakers Featuring Kelly Richey and Sherri McGee.
Thank you for reading!
Kelly Richey
All songs were written by Kelly Richey.
