Kevin Russell

String wrangler and thought gargler Russell helms the U.S.S. Shinyribs. His prolific life as songwriter, lead singer and mouthpiece still leaves him time to draw the award winning comic strip "Lil' Whodat". His series of Grannys Diapers Mysteries" is going into its seventh season on PBS. Russell doesn't like to talk about his youth. He refers obliquely to having been raised by " circus folk", he will admit to a fairly serious teen-age "pageant" addiction. Scared straight by an episode of "That Nashville Music" that featured Eddy Raven, Hank Snow and Ray Stevens, Russell's path was clear. At seventeen he consulted a shaman and was fused with the souls of Jerry Clower and Gene Watson. The die was cast. Russell began to write his own songs. Early failed attempts included "Where's My Comb", "This Ones For You (Mr. Korean War Veteran)" and "Tom Landry, You Wrote My Life". He was left greasy and discouraged. A move to the Ark-La-Tex and brief dabblings in malt liquor and punk rock righted the ship and the warbler we know today as Shinyribs began to take shape. Stints in touring companies of "CATS" and "GUYS AND DOLLS" fleshed out his musical dreams. He was ready for the big time, TEXAS. Kevin Russell and his family split their time between an armed compound in central Texas and an ark in Abu Dhabi. He is a genius.