WERS 88.9 fm - Performance Wrap-Up: Steve Blunt

October 27^th, 2009

Steve Blunt and his right hand man, Marty Kelley, gave WERS listeners a glimpse into the world of children's song writing and performing! Although the two middle-aged men were gearing up to perform a live session for Playground, Blunt and Kelley warmed up by wailing spot on renditions of the Violent Femmes', "Blister in the Sun," and The Ramones', "I Wanna Be Sedated." Well those sure aren't songs for tykes, but the guys had fun with it before going on air to play their three song set. 

Blunt started the performance with "Pumpkins Beware," an appropriate choice with Halloween knocking at our doors. This song invoked gory images, as Blunt personified a pumpkin and sang about "scoop[ing] out [the pumpkin's] insides," and giving the pumpkin fair warning with the lines, "by Thanksgiving, you'll be pie…if a human comes for you, your happy pumpkin days are through." Wow! Who else is picking up on the Death to Smoochy vibes, here?

When questioned about the song's lyrics, drummer Kelley admitted he was the darker half of the duo. Blunt stuck to his children's songwriting roots—confessing to no sarcastic, subconscious undertones.

Blunt kept strumming along to his next song—"Let's Have a Reading Party." Now the first number could be appreciated from perspectives shared by children and adults. This song was simply a cheerful and chipper bit, encouraging children and even WERS listeners to join him at his magical reading party! Blunt also encouraged listeners to check out the "Reach Out and Read" program, which he is heavily involved with. Kelley is a published children's author, who also illustrates his work. Both guys collectively noted, "We're all about promoting reading from a very early age."

Although he's a fantastic children's musician, this was not Blunt's first profession. He started out as a middle school teacher and discovered that the kids were, "Much more interested when [he] brought [in his] instruments." Blunt reiterated, "It was always more fun with my guitar."

They finished the set with "Hang on Henry," another piece fitting for children and adults. Kelley's stand out skills on the harmonica drove home a Dylan-esque sound. If you drown out the lyrics and stay tuned into the guitar and harmonica, you'd hear much more than just a child's composition.

That's the key to Blunt's music—he writes for children—but while doing so, he reaches the moms and dads by touching on family values, diversity and overcoming the rough times that their youngsters are likely to find themselves facing.

-Words and Images by Jacquelin Voegtlin