Rising Stars: Meet Kidd Lightning of Detroit Michigan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kidd Lightning

Hi Kidd, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Detroit Trouble is as Motor City as it gets, it all started with founder, Kidd Lightning at the early age of 5 who’s life was impacted by the firey outlaw style guitar playing of Stevie Ray Vaughan in the mid 1990’s. His father, a well known amazing automotive mechanic, fabricator, and creative backyard genius accidentally exposed him to the blues. His father was a “last of the greasers” type, who believed hard work and the connection between the city and the music that made all the hard times of lower middle class life bearable! Kidd was immersed in the feel, smell, and taste of what it meant to live the life of a blue collar man at such a young age daily. He was so different than his classmates, never truly fitting in with the crowd having grown with more matured values and life/survival skills, that he often was subject to harassment and bullying and even the victim of classmates who would sometimes want to pick a fight with him. Never did he give up, it was the first electric guitar his father was able to afford him, a 400$ Mexican made fender Stratocaster that led him to an escape from all reality that surrounded him from daily work with his father at such a young age to help make end meet within the household that his mother and father tried to keep steady as possible. After years of obscurity, disappointments, doubts coming from his parents that his dream was less than fulfilling and fruitful he hit the streets at 19 years old to pursue his dream a reality and turn his influences into his own original Motor City music. Throughout his travels often nightly after a long day at work in his father’s footsteps as a mechanic himself he would frequent blues clubs and rock n roll bars that would entertain a confident young man looking to form a band to bring the music to the people! With his plan in mind trying to make it flourish nightly it took a toll on him and reflected on his dealing with his coworkers and bosses at times and he found yet again obscurity, jealousy, and envy from those around him leading to various job changes and problems back home with his folks concerned for his well being while staying with friends, female interests, and even sleeping in his truck for his pride to strong to go back to the nest. It wasn’t until he found himself with a drummer friend one early morning after a long night on the town playing a show that they got lost and thought they would be in trouble if they couldn’t find they’re way back home, that they saw a I-94 to Detroit sign and thought….”Detroit Trouble” might be the name most fitting for the band and being more of a rowdy bunch that was forming its blue collar blues rock sound. A few years later in 2017 Kidd got a call from his mom while at work that his Father had passed away from a long term illness and rushed back to his childhood home to handle the families loss, stricken so heavily by this, he went down a dark path and even though the blues he truly felt he pressed on yet again with playing as many shows as possible with the band gaining local popularity he was faced with the passing of his mother only 2 years later. This time he was more determined than ever to achieve his dream, his father never was able to see him perform live, his mother was able to a few times, he lives to this day with the last conversation he had with his father that after all the years of bumping heads about his dream his father heard him on local radio 89.3 WHFR and said that he didn’t sound too bad, that was all he needed to keep going! Throughout the years he’s had a number of lineup changes due to his brash style and the way he was “cut” by life he has only but himself to rely on, no backup plan, no retirement, no regrets. This is the life that has shaped his playing style as a musician from the Motor City. He continues to gain local popularity through local TV news interviews and live TV performances, radio airplay and local shows! He will obtain his dream of the big stage opening for his heros who shaped him at that early age.
Detroit Trouble is a representation of the hard worker, the 9-5’er and the people of any major city that keep it moving and they are making music for people just like them with the addition of current members “Captain Kirk Richter” on bass/vocals and “William Wild Bill Whats” on drums they are a most powerhouse trio from yesteryears style bringing it forward and into the future with new ideas and a “pot of gumbo” music style they are blending the blues rock genre with new ideas with latest releases such as “Hot In The D” and “Time Machine” they are sure to captivate you with something new and fresh from the city they can’t live without…. DETROIT!!!!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Detroit City never had it easy, neither does this band. We’ve dealt with many people over the years who are either lovers or haters and that’s what you get when you are honest as we are!

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Detroit Trouble is known for putting on a firey performance filled with automotive themed stage props, an electric performance loaded with showmanship that includes moves tributing to Jimi Hendrix and ZZ Top. Where as most bands rely on the music to display to their audience, we are very animated on stage, Detroit Trouble is always on the move!

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Never give up!!!! If you are a loyal follower, then you already know some of the struggles this band has experienced, we are on our way to the top of the food chain!

Pricing:

• Check out our website for merchandise pricing

Contact Info:

• Website: https://detroittroubleband.com/home
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/detroittroubleband?igsh=ZmNpeWxwZnllNmF3
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/detroittrouble?mibextid=ZbWKwL
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@detroittroubleband?si=X_zWc9OB_1IyoNbT
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3Hz07yzk3VYOpZU5zW5wLo?si=VuVC2l_sQM2ym6nMJFVqGg