Gary Kirkland

Too often, the words local musician trigger an automatic value judgment on merit and talent. They can’t be any good if they’re still local, right? And if they are good, what the hell are they doing here? Singer-songwriter Gary Kirkland pummels such snobbery with a one-two punch of talent and down-home dedication. Kirkland, who cut his first album, As Is, in 1977, has been an area fixture in more ways than one, serving as a Metro operator for more than sixteen years. This former international yodeling champion and cohost of the KCUR 89.3 radio show Folk Waves recently released his fourth album, Shootin’ the Works on Love. Featuring a number of local musicians, including former UMKC trombone professor John Leisenring and fellow folkie Iris DeMent, Shootin’ the Works is the sort of solidly executed and creatively evocative release that area audiences should demand from local acts.