“I want to show that gospel, country, blues, jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, are all just really one thing. Those are the American music and that is the American culture.” – Etta James

Diverse Music for your Diverse Group!! 

SAMPLES, updated monthly, of Artists whose songs we enjoy sharing:  KayBirds are Genre-Fluid, as are most musicians.  They interweave hits from multiple genres and decades, with sprinkles of Soul. However, we understand that your guests / customers may have a preference of styles.  To enable you to select the focus, here are some ‘Samples of Artists, by Genres’, that VKB Plays   A few are in multiple categories, depending on their songs. Some artists / bands/ musicians cross all genres, as do we! 

ROCK –Chicago, Black Crowes, ZZ Top, Fog Hat, Aerosmith, Janis Joplin, Beth Hart, Joe Bonamassa, Smash Mouth, Cream,  Tedeschi Trucks Band (TTB), Candy Kane, Led Zeppelin, REO, The High Strung, Beatles,  Billy Preston, AC / DC, Bon Jovi, Steve Miller Band, Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) , Earth Wind Fire, Cyndi Lauper, Elton John, Joan Jett, Huey Lewis and the News, Joe Cocker, Queen, Annie Lennox, Santana, Def Lepoard, Rolling Stones, Steppenwolf,  James Brown,  Kenny Loggins, Johnny Winter, Melissa Etheridge, Rare Earth, Wilson Pickett, Tina Turner, Brian Seltzer, Warren Haynes, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Chuck Berry, Widespread Panic, Stevie Ray Vaughn, George Thorogood, Eric Clapton, Animals, Southern Culture on the Skids, Bruce Springsteen, Lynyrd Skynyrd 

SOUL -  Etta James, Tyrone Davis, Irma Thomas, Tina Turner, Kool and the Gang, Otis Redding, Barbara Lynn, Bill Withers, Neville Bros., Billy Preston, Charmaine Neville, RedBone, Dusty Springfield,  Sam & Dave, Janis,  Blues Brothers, Seal, Wilson Pickett, Sam Cooke, Harry Belefonte,  Lisa Stansfield,  Barry White, Marion Black, Marvin Gaye, Cyndi Lauper, Billy Ocean,  Temptations, Johnnie Taylor, Santana, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Solomon Burke, Booker T & the MG's, Trombone Shorty, Barbara Lynn, Irma Thomas, The Commitments, The Mar-Keys, Blues Bros., Santana, The Drifters,  James Brown, Beatles, Quincy Jones, Nina Simone, Sly & Family Stone, Jackie Wilson, Ray Charles, Clarence Carter, Kool and the Gang, Aaron Neville, Huey Lewis,  Martha Reeves & Vandellas, Mowtown

BLUES– Etta James. Aretha Franklin, Beth Hart, Bonnie Rait, CCR, The Tractors, Eric Clapton,  Chris Thomas King, Koko Taylor, Chris Stapleton, Irma Thomas, S.R. Vaughn, Janis Joplin, B.B. King, Otis Redding, Tab Benoit, Cyndi Lauper, Joe Bonamassa, Joe Tex, Barbara Lynn, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Louis Armstrong, Fats Domino, Bill Withers, Marvin Banks, Joe Cocker, Bonnie Raitt, Joe Tex, Melanie Safka, Neville Bros., Randy Garibay, Rich Felix, Blues Brothers, Sam & Dave, Tina Turner, Albert Collins, Marva Wright, Clarence Edwards, Johnny Winter, Trombone Shorty, etc

COUNTRY & POP & JAZZ– Pink, Hank Williams, Katrina and the Waves, Buffalo Springfield, Elton John,  Little Big Town,  Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Dusty Springfield, Anne Murray, Bonnie Tyler, David Sanborn, Julie London,  Etta James, Waylon Jennings, Dwight Yoakam, Willie Nelson, Tab Benoit, Chris Stapleton, The Tractors,  Brian Seltzer, Pointer sisters, Arlo Guthrie, Gloria Estefan, Beatles, Julie London, Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Dianne Reeves, Elvis, Charmain Neville, Annie Lennox, Nina Simone, Merle Haggard, Carly Simon, Lynn Anderson, Cher, Don Williams, Keb’ Mo’, Bittersweet, Queen, Dean Martin, Animals, Fats Domino, etc.

Various mixes of Rock, Soul, Blues, Motown, Jazz, Pop, Country.  We mix for YOUR Event! 

1) A Joy-Inducing Music Mix - Our professional, researched blend of upbeat, optimistic, encouraging, cheerful tunes that are genre-fluid and decade-shifting.  These ‘Positive Vibe’ songs, featuring horns and lighthearted lyrics, will ignite listeners’ souls, to cause smiles, singing, dancing, and stress-escape occasions. It’s KayBirds’ “Escape Event” mix. Of course there is a Dance Contest, too. 

2) Music of Good Movies (MGM) - The VKB band’s signature uplifting mix of songs from the Soundtracks of favorite, popular Movies and Television shows. Memorable tunes you may have first heard in beloved films from multiple decades and genres, including the many music-themed,  dance focused films from the 1980’s- 2000’s. Always a Dance Contest, of course!  Optional Trivia contests to match songs with Movie / TV during this show for fun audience engagement. Of course there is a Dance Contest, as well.

3) Smooth Soul Happening (Ssh) - Easy listening Soul; old and new.  Perfect for Restaurants, Brunches, and Garden Parties; with the genre-fluidity of Jazz-Soul-Blues crossovers

4) Sassy Women Singers – Songs from the best female voices, such as Etta, Irma, Tina, Aretha, Janis, Nina, Rosemary, Melanie, Anne Murray, Koko, Dolly, Patsy, Bonnie, Carly, Barbara Lynn, Beth Hart, Dusty Springfield, Sharon Jones, Annie Lennox, etc.

5) Multi-Genre Mardi Gras Mix Party {MGMGM}– Louisiana & contiguous States; Mix of many genres, Beads, Contests, Dancing, Audience participation, Menu themes.  Includes diverse tunes about:  New Orleans, Voodoo, Southern Food, Bayous, Drinking, Mojo Magic, Dancing, Louisiana, & Good Times Rolling! Hear covers of Artists from Antoine 'Fats' Domino to ZZ Top, from the Animals to Johnny Winter.

6) Irma and Etta Show – an evening to enjoy the timeless tune of Irma Thomas (the Soul Queen of New Orleans) and Etta James (Queen of R&B)