About Me
Although the name on this MySpace page is Jed, most people who are acquainted with me either by fortune or misfortune know me as Chip Kingrey. Since many who inhabit this site fall into the category of musician, artist or other such field of talent; we'll stick me in with the musicians among us. I've played drums off and on since I was eight years old. As with everything else in life so far, I never really gave it 100% of my time and effort. This is why I've also done a number of non-musical things as a means of earning a living. Factory work, building construction, retail store owner and most recently work in the field of highway construction. I guess I was just never willing to starve long enough to live my one-time dream of playing music full time.The first real band I was in, with gigs and everything, was a band called ZITHER with Dean Smith and Rusty Nunn from Glasgow, KY. I was 18 at the time and we played at the original Three Brothers bar in Bowling Green, which rocked for an 18 year old in 1976.The most unusual band I was in was called GESTALT, also from Glasgow. We were the most well rehearsed, non-gigging band around with a playlist of over 60 original songs. This was the early 80's and the music was closer to a Blue's Traveler style that didn't find much reception in this area. We were too f*cked up to get out of here and take the band somewhere it might have a chance.My most lucrative musical endeavor was a band called IMAGE in the mid 80's, which was a country-rock band that was supposedly pretty decent; but likely fairly hideous at the same time. Did earn over ten grand in about a year with those folks; but left a lot of my soul behind.Probably the all around best band I've been in was what started out as PANSTER and morphed into what became known as BAZUKA JO. This band was pretty well rounded and did
solid versions of bluesy and classic rock tunes. We developed a pretty good following and played several private events in addition to bar gigs in the late 80's.
The original Picasso's on 8th Ave in Bowling Green seemed to be our hangout.Got tangled up with an aspiring country act for a year or so. SOUTHERN BREEZE. Nuff said.The most out of character group (for me) I was involved in was PROWLER / MISTER GRINDER in the early 90's. A hard rock, hair-band style holdover from the 80's that shed members and names like a snake sheds it's skin. They had some solid songs; but the chemistry never gelled and the tunes were dated anyway, so..........Bring on DICK'S HAT BAND. A blues-based group from Bowling Green with some hot players. Stevie Ray Vaughn, Allman Brothers, Eric Clapton covers and some standard blues stuff
round about 1993 made for a good time at The 13th Street Cafe.Remnants of the ill-fated, aspiring country act re-emerged
in 1994 as PRIDE AND JOY. This time it's more of a rock-a-billy, gassed up country classics band and I got sucked in again. I lasted about a year with 'em, played about 100 shows and made some fair cash; but wasn't happy and guess what..............moved on.The running theme here is, I quit all these bands (with the exception of one I may have been asked to leave depending on who you talk to!) and went looking for something different. I get bored or frustrated or something pretty easily evidently.From the mid 90's until about 2002 I sat idle for the most part and hardly played at all. I got in with Farmer John & The Bad Seed in mid 2002; but had to quit when I became involved in the construction industry three months later. FJ&TBS was a funky, jam-band sort of thing, and a lot of fun.The formation of The Kentucky Blues Society provided the chance for some open jams from time to time which got me interested in playing some again.Winter of 2006 hooked me up with LEE HARVEY & THE TEXAS BOOK DEPOSITORY. Without a doubt THE most fun gig I've ever had. Americana, hi-octane hard core country classics, and some Stones and shit thrown in for good measure. LEE HARVEY is a dynamic artist and a blast to play behind. Unfortunately, that pesky need of an income
put me in a job that made it hard to play, so that ended that.Big tip of the hat to everyone that was in all these bands I've named. It wasn't always good; but it wasn't always bad either.Currently, as of March 2009, I've been laid off work since mid-November and haven't accomplished a HOT-DAMN thing in regard to music. I usually hook up with some tuneage while I'm off. It's back to work for the summer and hope for better luck next winter.
