Correction: Guitar Shorty performs Friday night at Roanoke College’s Olin Theatre. Due to incorrect information on Roanoke College’s online calendar, the wrong location was listed in a story in Wednesday’s Extra section.

Courtesy Alligator Records

David "Guitar Shorty" Kearney sounded kind of raspy last week. There was good reason for it. The day before, while recording his upcoming album, he sang so hard and emotionally that he wore out his voice a little.

Through the rasp, Kearney said he's excited about the new album he's making with producer Jerry "Wyzard" Seay, of Mother's Finest fame. Seay also produced Kearney's most recent release, "We The People" (Alligator).

Later during our interview, Shorty's voice sounded as though it was already on the mend. Good thing, because he's performing at Roanoke College's Olin Recital Hall on Friday.

Fast recovery time is de rigeur for a performer as seasoned as Kearney. He just turned 70, but he's still a fiery and entertaining blues/rocker. Kearney has been on the road since age 16, when he took a gig with Ray Charles. He went on to play with Guitar Slim, T-Bone Walker, Little Richard and Sam Cooke. He married Jimi Hendrix's stepsister in 1961, and became close with the guitar legend. Kearney has led his own act since the early 1970s.

-- Tad Dickens