KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD Was "Proud" That FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH Chose To Cover His "Blue On Black" Song - "I Think It's Awesome"

Greg Prato, reporting for Ultimate-Guitar.com:

In the mid to late '90s, it seemed like blues rock was on the verge of extinction - as it had become bypassed by various other rock styles on radio, MTV, and in the press. But there were several young guitarists who refused to let the blues die - including Kenny Wayne Shepherd, who scored a surprise radio hit in 1998 with the song "Blue On Black" off Trouble Is…, his sophomore LP.

The song continues to be Shepherd's best-known and most enduring track, so it would make perfect sense for another established artist to give it a go and cover it. And in 2018, groove metallists Five Finger Death Punch took on the tune for their seventh studio effort overall, And Justice for None, before issuing the song as a single a year later - with added contributions by the likes of country musician Brantley Gilbert, Queen guitarist Brian May, and Shepherd himself.

While recently speaking to Ultimate Guitar, Shepherd was asked what his thoughts were about 5FDP's cover and if he felt it introduced this song to a whole new audience. Here was his reply:

"Absolutely. I think it's great, I think it's awesome. I was very happy to be a part of that. I was proud that they chose my song to do. You know, Shinedown had done an acoustic version a few years prior, but I don't think they put it on an actual record. They just put it out on YouTube or whatever. But you know, that's one of those songs. I'd just kind of been waiting for somebody to come along and cover it. And the great thing about that song is anybody can cover that song. Like, I'm waiting for a country artist to cover it – because they can have a #1 hit at country radio with that song."

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