Meet Blues Superstar Keb Mo

Blues
Star
2014 and 2015 find this musical
storyteller embarking on his most
extensive tour in years. It also
marks a new chapter of his career
with the release of his 12th album,
“BLUESAmericana,” which features
some of the most poignant and
surprisingly joyful music he has
ever written on the subjects of love,
commitment, pain and forgiveness.
“I can deliver it from my
heart,” Mo’ says, adding, “‘BLUES
Americana’ is the beginning of the
next phase of who I am.”
Early on, Mo’ (known then as
Kevin Moore) had an affinity for
spiritual contemplation. “My father
raised me on the quote from the Bible,
‘But seek ye first the Kingdom of God
and all these things shall be added
unto you.’” His family attended Mt.
Buelah Baptist Church in Watts, Calif.
While he loved the gospel music
performed at church, young Kevin
questioned the theology.
Keb'’
Mo'
Kent RAUTENSTRAUS
ATTRACTING LIFE’S
QUALITY STUFF THROUGH
SPIRITUAL PRACTICE
“I brainwash myself. Every day, I retrain my brain by reading and
studying spiritual thoughts. More than my bank account, I protect my
state of mind; my state of gratitude … that’s where good comes from,”
says Keb’ Mo’, three-time American Grammy Award-winning blues
musician.
An acclaimed singer, guitarist and songwriter who has been
described as “a modern master of American roots music,” Mo’ uses
spiritual practice to expand his consciousness. “My whole career
is based on learning how to manifest good in my life. My career is
not about doing business, but learning how to see what I want to
accomplish by being present in the moment.”
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“Why was God
gonna punish me?”
Mo’ showed incredible promise
in music by the time he was a teen,
beginning professionally by playing
steel drums and upright bass in a
calypso band. At 21, he collaborated
with the Jefferson Airplane’s blues
violinist Papa John Creach and
promptly earned his first gold
record. Around this time, Mo’ was
introduced to the best-selling self-help
book, “Psycho-Cybernetics.”
“This was my introduction to the
powers of the mind; how to set goals,
and to the mystery of life.”
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JANUARY 2015
Hand
it Over
If your problems
won’t go away
And you’re
worried both
night and day,
Hand it over.
Get on your
knees and pray.
If the road is
dark and you can’t
find your way,
Just let the Spirit
light the way.
Hand it over.
Get on your
knees and pray.
— Words and music by K. Moore
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A D V E RT I S E M E N T
Available as an ebook or in print
BUY ONLINE:
ScienceofMindArchives.org
THE MAN BEHIND
THE POWERFUL NEW
THOUGHT TEACHINGS
This is the most personal
account of the life of the
visionary Dr. Ernest Holmes.
Author Dr. Marilyn Leo
grew up around the Holmes
household. Acknowledged by
her ministerial colleagues as
“a living treasure,” Leo shares
a wealth of first-hand stories
about Holmes and
his beloved wife, Hazel.
More
on page
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of Mind
Soon, Mo’ joined musical
superstars Herbie Hancock
and Tina Turner in practicing
Nichiren Shoshu, a form of
Buddhism that uses chanting
(Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo) as
a spiritual practice to change
bad karma and achieve
enlightenment.
“My sense of consciousness
was unencumbered,” he says.
He devoutly followed this
spiritual practice for 16 years,
but eventually found that
chanting multiple times a day
was difficult to maintain with
new priorities. He now had a
wife and a son — not to mention
a professional music career.
Through family and friends, he
was introduced to New Thought
teachings.
“My wife turned me onto
the writings of Florence Scovel
Shinn,” Mo’ says. Shinn, a New
Thought and metaphysical
writer, is famous for quotes like,
“The invisible forces are ever
working for man who is always
‘pulling the strings’ himself,”
and “Owing to the vibratory
power of words, whatever man
voices, he begins to attract.”
Mo’s wife also introduced
him to the writings of personal
success author Napoleon Hill
(“Think and Grow Rich”) and
Dr. Ernest Holmes, founder of
Religious Science. “Dr. Holmes’s
writings went directly into
my mind.”
Mo’ instantly resonated with
New Thought teachings and
began a spiritual practice that
continues to this day of studying
and applying enlightened
thoughts by metaphysical
writers and teachers.
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SURRENDERING TO “MOTHER/FATHER GOD"
At age 38, “life happened,” and Mo’ began a period of deep soulsearching, questioning if music was the right path for him.
“I was broke!” he admits, “And I had a kid! I decided I had to
pay the bills so I’d better go into electronics.” But later, he thought to
himself, “If I do music, I’d have to work hard. Then again, if I choose
electronics, I’d have to work hard.”
Mo’ chose music, then deeply surrendered to “Mother/Father God.”
“I said, ‘I surrender God. Use me! I’m in! I don’t care if I play for 10
people or 10 million people.’”
The next day, he landed a steady music job at a club, making $40 a
day, four nights a week. He held that job for a couple of years. Then, at
the age of 41, considered old in the music industry, he was signed by
Sony Music to a long-term recording contract.
Let Your
Light Shine
Step aside, let
your light shine,
let your love show
It’s a short ride
down a long road
When the rains
come and the
winds blow
Let your light
shine wherever
you go
— Words and music
by Keb’ Mo’ and
Jenny Yates
ScienceOfMind.com
Keb’ Mo’, his wife, Robbie, and their son, Carter, met
First Lady Michelle Obama and President Barack
Obama during a White House concert.
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“They thought I was 20!” Mo’ laughs, adding, “It’s been an
unbelievable journey ever since … and it demonstrates itself on a
daily basis.”
THE UNIVERSE ALLOWS HIM TO BE A BLESSING
The lessons that Mo’ learns on the “unbelievable journey” of life
are, in his words, profound and lasting spiritual truths and gifts.
“Early on, I realized that I will always be cared for as long as I am
serving.” Mo’ elaborates that great artists with sustaining careers
realize that their success has nothing to do with their artistry.
“When you’re on the top of the heap, it’s a mystery. You know you
are to be of service.”
His long-time friend, singer-songwriter Brenda Lee Eager, says
there is no mystery to Mo’s success. “People really get the essence of
Keb’. What you see is who he is, and the Universe allows him to be a
blessing to others.”
To that end, Mo’, now 63, has quietly and generously donated his
music, time and heart to causes like Playing for Change Foundation,
which creates positive change through music and arts education. He
is crafting a thoughtful career that sustains the passage of time and
blesses people of all ages.
In addition to musical collaborations with Amy Grant, Bonnie Raitt
and Jackson Browne, an extensive discography, concert touring and
occasional acting work on stage, he appeared in the Martin Scorsese
film project “The Blues” as well as in episodes of television’s “Touched
by An Angel,” “The West Wing” and “Sesame Street,” where he
sang with Kermit the Frog, Grover and Elmo. He is a favorite guest
on Garrison Keillor’s radio program, “A Prairie Home Companion,”
and also sang the title song “I See Love” for the CBS sitcom “Mike
& Molly.” “I’m not really a blues guy,” he laughs. “I don’t preach
anything!”
KEB’ MO’ OFF THE STAGE
Sharing his talents in a very public career does not define Mo’.
He is also a loving husband and the father of two sons, taking these
roles very seriously. He is married to Robbie Brooks Moore, who has
co-written songs and sung with her husband as well as photographed
him in concert.
She is the founder and president of their record label, Kind of Blue
Music. They have a 7-year-old son, Carter Mandela Moore, named
after two inspired peacemakers — President Jimmy Carter and the
late South African president, Nelson Mandela.
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Mo’ is overjoyed that his first son, Kevin Roosevelt, II, 27, has
followed his dad’s artistic path as a hip-hop artist, drummer, producer
and bassist whose stage name is K. Roosevelt.
“I shared Deepak Chopra’s words with Kevin: Follow your dharma
— you will know better than anyone else what to do. I told him to
trust his instincts — they will always take care of you.”
Mo’ empowers his youngest son by reminding him, “Be fearless!”
MAINTENANCE WORK ON A MARRIAGE
Recently, Mo’ and his wife did some powerful “maintenance work”
on their marriage with in-depth counseling. They called forth the
perfection in the situation, remembering that intimate relationships
are a built-in pressure cooker designed to grow and expand souls. As
a result of applying spiritual principle to their relationship, a deeply
introspective song emerged that is featured on “BLUESAmericana.”
“For Better or Worse”
What do we do now?
It’s getting harder every day.
Do we try and work it out,
Or just turn and walk away?
But if nobody
I’m willin’ if you’re willin’
loves you, and you
To dig deep and stay up all night.
feel like dust on an
I’ll listen if you’ll listen,
No matter how hard it hurts.
empty shelf
For better or worse, for better or worse.
Just remember: You
— Words and music by Kevin Moore,
can love yourself.
Victoria Shaw and Heather Donavon
— Words and music
by K. Moore
KEEPING ON THE PATH
You Can
Love Yourself
Mo’s impassioned message to the reader
of Science of Mind magazine in the New Year
is to be real and to consistently use spiritual
practices such as reading and applying
enlightened spiritual teachings, meditation,
serving others, calling in the perfection of
any given moment and practicing gratitude to
tune up daily life.
He emphatically states that life is not
just about making money. “The Goddess
of Wisdom makes the Goddess of Money
jealous!” he says with a grin. z
ScienceOfMind.com
JANUARY 2015
For more on
Keb’ Mo’ and to
purchase his music,
visit KebMo.com.
ScienceOfMind.com
has Keb’ Mo’s essential
spiritual reading list.
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