“Nobody said, ‘You need to play five-string,’ but for stadium gigs there’s nothing cooler than hitting a low B and feeling it in your core”: Kenny Chesney bassist Harmoni Kelley on why five-strings rule for modern country players

As a teen, Harmoni Kelley’s vision of being a profession artist was more acid rock than Music Row. Maturing in Austin, Texas, her daddy’s record collection consisted of The Beatles, The Band, Little Feat and Motown– rhythm-heavy, groove-oriented tracks that instantly drew her towards the bass

As a teen, her tastes approached Metallica and Guns N’ Roses. At 17, influenced by Duff McKagan, she started teaching herself to play. As her abilities broadened, so did chances, and quickly she was gigging expertly in Austin’s growing scene.

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