Chuck Prophet

Once, when shown an early 1980s Fender Telecaster, Chuck Prophet said, "Hey, you know a guy can make a living off one of those things if he knows what he's doin'." It's safe to say that Prophet knows what he's doin' -- he somehow squeezes old '52 Fender tones from early '80s Squire Telecasters. Prophet has played with the likes of psychedelic cowboys Green On Red, the canyon crazy Jim Dickensen, the infamous one-eyed visionary Spooner Oldham, Cake, the Silos, and many others. He also wrote for and played with Kelly Willis on her 1999 release, What I Deserve before touring with Penelope Houston and then Warren Zevon. More interesting than his session work and touring schedule is Prophet's own torn and frayed style of songwriting. One listen to "New Year's Day" off his '97 solo album and you'll understand why the record was titled Homemade Blood -- Prophet has a Dylan-like ability to bleed into his own songs. He seems to play with one foot planted in American tradition and one foot resting on the foot-pedal of astral innovation.