Listen to Kaptain Kurt and escape for awhile
By John Benson
jbenson@funcoast.com
Like so many others, Vermilion resident and musician Kurt Barkdull had dreams of superstar success where his music would not only touch people but make the world a better place.
For decades, the Shelby, Ohio, native pursued his talents, relocating to the Minneapolis, Minn. area at a time when Prince was still basking in his "Purple Rain" and The Replacements were still drinking their way across the nation. At first with his own band, Falcon Eddy, and then later as a recording and touring member of artist Melvin James, who scored a minor '80s hit with "Why Won't You Stay," Barkdull gave it his all.
"I was on the road for 20 years and I was playing original music most of that time," Barkdull said. "And when I moved back to Ohio eight years ago, I started my own company and my own band."
That company is House of Rhythm Music, which includes a rocking cover band of the same name, as well as the one-man show Kaptain Kurt. It's the latter gig that finds Barkdull showing off all of his talents with a crowd-pleasing set of favorites that spans the gamut from Frank Sinatra and Randy Newman to Tom Petty, Kenny Chesney and even underrated South African performer Johnny Clegg. In fact, both outfits have become regular performers at Sandusky's Margaritaville.
"I'm basically dealing with people who are out to have a good time," Barkdull said. "It's more of an entertainment type of thing. It's like a Jimmy Buffett kind of attitude. More freelance and having fun, light-hearted, boating atmosphere. And I do a lot of interaction with people."
While that interaction often requires the playing of a percussion instrument by an audience member or two, there's no stress involved.
"Basically, it's a frame of mind," Barkdull said. " I've always been inspired by world beat music and tropical rhythms. And being up here by the lake is kind of the next best thing. If you can't be by the ocean and you're in Ohio, hey, Lake Erie."
That Great Lakes inspiration resulted in Barkdull's 2004 instrumental album "Spirit of the Lake."
"It's themed around the nature and the inspiration of Lake Erie," Barkdull said. "It's the beauty of what we have out there in front of us. It's the inspiration of forgetting whatever else is going on in this funky world of ours and getting back to nature. Basically, the lake allows you to do that, without being interrupted."
He quickly laughed, "As long as you don't have a cell phone with you."
This leads us back to Barkdull's initial dreams of success. Perhaps he's never had a hit single, been on the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine or toured to sold-out crowds, but in many ways, he has exceeded his goal of making the world a better place.
"That's really the focus of what I'm doing," Barkdull said. "I've done the original route. I'm 49 years old. I pursued my dreams for a long time and basically this is a venue for me to get out and perform for people and still keep my craft going."
He added, "I want them to walk away feeling better than they did when they came, because that's what happens to me. Some days you don't feel like doing anything and whenever I get done performing, music puts you through a transformation and it's a very positive vibe. It really is."
Kaptain Kurt
WHEN: 5-9 p.m. July 14WHERE: Margaritaville, 212 Fremont Ave., Sandusky
INFO: 419-627-8903
Rock and roll isn't noise pollution, but John Benson keeps earplugs handy -- just in case. E-mail John at jbenson@funcoast.com.