Unwavering Friendship Powers Up “Power Duo”
By Chris Manson March 27, 2002 Issue

The Boathouse in Destin offers Friday through Sunday meetings of the Kelly Byrd/Joe Sixpack Mutual Admiration Society from 4 to 7 p.m. Actually, Byrd plays music, and longtime friend Joe Sixpack on electric guitar almost always joins him.

Joe’s Fender Stratocaster was a gift from Kelly and his wife. Byrd plays an Alvarez acoustic guitar that once belonged to Joe’s father. “That’s a good friend that buys you a guitar,” Byrd said.

A typical set by this cool duo includes a spirited rendition of Third Rate Romance, the old Amazing Rhythm Aces ditty. Byrd’s repertoire leans heavily towards 1970s rock, and he sounds comfortable performing the songs he loved growing up.

Byrd is left-handed, but his guitar is strung for righties. This unusual dilemma requires that he hold the instrument upside down. (Hey, it worked for another famous lefty, Jimi Hendrix.) When right-handed people try to figure out what chords Byrd is strumming, they’re often left scratching their heads.

Byrd has been playing around Destin for 23 years. He fools around with the piano in the studio, but his live gigs are guitar only.

The proficient singer grew up in Seale, Ala., a very small town between Phoenix City and Columbus, Ga. “The population is about 5000 now, but it was around 1500 when I lived there,” Byrd said. He began singing in his father’s nightclub in Columbus at the age of 12. “Late nights in Columbus could be pretty rough!”

Byrd has recorded three albums, two of them recorded live at the Boathouse. His studio CD consists of old standards made famous by the likes of Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra. Byrd lives in Destin with his supportive wife Tammy and their poodle and cat. “She helps me bring home the bacon,” Byrd said of his wife, who also works at the Boathouse.

“I’ve been here since 1979, back when AJ’s was called Bayou Buddy’s…back when you could see the Gulf from here,” Byrd said.

Byrd’s favorite artists include Jimmy Buffett and James Taylor. “His October Road tour is coming up. My wife and I will be there!” he said of the latter. “We do a lot of old country—Merle Haggard, George Jones. John Prine is one of my favorite songwriters, too.” Byrd doesn’t like to refer to himself as a writer, although he’s penned “like two or three songs.”

“I like hearing Kelly sing,” Joe said. “I sit in every chance I can.” Byrd and Joe also speak highly of their occasional collaborator “Catfish," a retired cab driver who plays a mean electric saw.

Sometimes Joe will drop in on Byrd’s gigs at Nico’s in Destin on Wednesday evenings. Joe himself appears at Dewey Destin’s during the busy season and at Harry T’s on Wednesdays. To top that off, the guitarist also plays with the group Southpaw in Atlanta and the Five Dads out of Birmingham. He also teaches guitar at Mancina’s Music in Niceville

“We’re a power duo. Me and Kelly go all over the world and play,” Joe said. “I was asked to play on Jimmy Buffett’s new album, but I couldn’t do it because Kelly needed me. But Buffett knows where to find me next time!”

Byrd pointed to Joe between songs and hollered, “That man right there is the best guitar player I’ve ever played with!”

“We’re just poor white trash trying to make a living,” Joe said.

As the sun went down, Byrd and Joe brought their collective ability to the Eagles’ Take It Easy and a couple of great Merle Haggard songs, Working Man Blues and I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink. A tribute to the Bee Gees, To Love Somebody, followed. Bob Seger’s Night Moves was solid, and Joe’s wah-wah pedals added commotion to the Marshall Tucker Band’s Can’t You See.

“Is that too loud?” Byrd asked the crowd. “Turn it up!” a fan replied. Joe embellished James Taylor’s Steamroller Blues with some pleasing slide guitar, and Seven Bridges Road—recorded by the Eagles and Dolly Parton, among others, elicited a positive response from the locals.

Sharp-eyed observers will notice George (Funkadelic/Parliament) Clinton’s autograph on Byrd’s guitar—he signed it last time he was in town. Byrd and his pal have enjoyed meeting a lot of celebrated musicians over the years. “Johnny Paycheck used to play down here,” Joe said of the recently deceased outlaw. “Jeff Cook (from the group Alabama) and Phil Calhoun come down here a lot and play with us, too.”

While Byrd admits that he doesn’t read music, he certainly feels it, injecting familiar songs with a generous dose of his winning personality. ( Top)

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