Walking into John David Kent’s studio in Celeste, TX you see the walls covered with memorabilia from over fifteen years in the music business. A career that started for Kent at the age of sixteen with a record deal from Mercury Records. Kent was signed as the drummer for the buzz band Radish. Kent spent the next few years promoting the album, Restraining Bolt, on late night TV shows and world tours.
By eighteen, Kent took what he learned and built a studio and started writing his own songs. After he put his time in as a touring drummer for The Lemonheads, and former Radish singer, Ben Kweller, he started his own record label, Blackland/Roustabout Records.
JDK started his latest musical journey in 2009 with a five song EP. One of the songs, “My Girl” became a local radio hit and its video went into rotation on CMT, after it was picked as video of the week. Kent had a new career on his hands. With the momentum from the EP he went into the studio to record his debut album.
Kent’s debut album, released in May 2011, is simply titled John David Kent. Kent’s album takes you on a musical journey from Texas to the West Coast, only stopping to reflect on how far he’s come. With the album he was able to satisfy himself artistically while still appealing to the masses.
While making music has always been a family tradition for the Kent’s, JDK has passed the torch to younger brother, Tony Kent, who sees the show every night from the best seat in the house; from behind the drum kit. To complete his live show Kent enlisted, Colton Gilbreath on lead guitar, and Randall Fuller on bass. John David Kent has quickly become one of the hottest new artists in the Texas music scene and is currently on his third consecutive top twenty single on the Texas charts. His live shows are a must see. Each night he leaves everything on stage and makes the audience believe in him and his songs. Texas legend, Ray Wylie Hubbard, best sums up JDK by saying, “This kid, John David Kent, writes lyrics like they were shot out of a Smith & Wesson, has a band cool as Steve McQueen on a motorcycle, and soul where it’s supposed to be.”
