Pete and Maura Kennedy met at The Continental Club in Austin Texas, back in 1992. They first played and sang together a few days later, and in no time at all they had written their first song. Pete was a member of Nanci Griffith’s Blue Moon Orchestra at the time, and he left Texas to play the Telluride Festival with Nanci. After the show with Nanci, Pete called Maura back in Austin. They consulted old school road atlases (everything was old school back then) and computed that the equidistant point between Austin Texas and Telluride Colorado was Lubbock, on the windy plains of West Texas. They made a pact to each drive 500 miles and meet at Buddy Holly’s grave in Lubbock. Soon after, Maura filled a vacancy in the Blue Moon Orchestra, and Pete and Maura set off on a lifelong road trip, spanning the US, Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Norway.
As a duo, The Kennedys have recorded two dozen collections of mostly original songs, along with interesting side projects. Their 2026 release, “Smoketree” consists of all original newly written songs that reflect their feelings on things both timely and timeless. Environmental concerns, social upheaval as families and entire populations flee violence, the search for peace in the world and peace in one’s heart; all these are touched upon with their trademark upbeat tone of uplift and encouragement. They are known for bringing the light rather than simply cursing the darkness, and they continue that approach with “Smoketree.” The title track ties in with the third book of Pete’s fictional trilogy, The Floodwood Chronicles, in its evocation of the native magic of the desert Southwest.
Well-traveled, never tiring of the life of wandering troubadours, The Kennedys look forward to hitting the stage every night with their blend of energized folk rock, passion and a sense of fun and camaraderie with their audience.
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Adrian Belew
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