The Kentucky Headhunters

by Johnny Loftus   The Kentucky Headhunters created a hybrid of honky tonk, blues, and Southern rock that appealed to fans of both rock and country music. While they were only officially together for a few albums, the band nevertheless left a long shadow. The origins of the Kentucky Headhunters lie in 1968, when Fred and Richard Young began playing together with their cousins Greg Martin and Anthony Kenney at the Youngs grandmothers home. Mark Orr also later joined them. The first incarnation of the band was called the Itchy Brothers, and the group played together informally for over a decade. After about 13 years, the bandmembers began launching separate careers: Richard Young went off to write songs for Acuff-Rose, while Fred Young began touring with country beauty Sylvia. Martin became a member of Ronnie McDowells band, while Kenney dropped out of music. In 1985, Martin decided to reassemble the Itchy Brothers. When Kenney declined to rejoin the group, Martin remembered Doug Phelps, who he had met while on tour with McDowell. Phelps joined the new project, which was named the Kentucky Headhunters. Besides Martin and Phelps, the band also included the Young brothers and Dougs brother Ricky Lee Phelps.   The Headhunters started playing twice monthly on the Chitlin Show, a radio program on WLOC Munfordville, KY. From these 90-minute performances, the Headhunters built up a following. They sent an eight-song demo to Mercury, and soon after, the label signed the group. The original demo tape was remixed and became the basis of the bands first album, 1989s Pickin On Nashville, which upon its release received overwhelmingly positive reviews and quickly became a hit. Dumas Walker reached number 15 in the spring of 1990, followed by the groups biggest hit, the number six Oh, Lonesome Me. In 1991, the Headhunters released their second effort, Electric Barnyard. The album received mixed reviews, couldnt muster a single, and sold weakly. In summer 1992, the Phelps brothers left the group to form Brothers Phelps, a more traditional country group. The remaining Headhunters brought ex-Itchy Brothers Anthony Kenney and Mark Orr to the group, and the rehashed lineup released Rave On! in 1993. The album marked a progression towards bluesy Southern rock, which came to fruition with Thatll Work later that same year. In 1996, Doug returned on lead vocals, and a year later the band issued Stompin Grounds. Songs From the Grass String Ranch followed in 2000, and Soul appeared in spring 2003. Big Boss Man was released in 2005 and Flying Under the Radar in 2006, both from CBUJ Entertainment.