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Bio

From age nine, when he first learned the shape of a G-chord, Dean Phelps has made music to bring enjoyment to anyone willing to listen. Born and raised in Maysville, Ky., Dean now lives, works and makes music in Indianapolis, Ind.

Doc Possom of Indy Folk News writes: "Dean is an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). He is Reverend Dean Phelps, with no apologies, but although he's a Reverend, he's not very churchy. He is a regular guy with a fun repertoire, a relaxed manner, nice picking, and a friendly way of putting a song across!"

About

BACKGROUND:

From age nine, when he first picked up a guitar and learned the shape of a G-chord, Dean Phelps has made music to bring enjoyment to anyone willing to listen. His folk style, positive demeanor and family-friendly repertoire make his music appropriate in a variety of venues, including churches, coffee shops and restaurants.

Influenced by a number of singer songwriters like John Prine, John Hiatt, Nanci Griffith and Kate Wolf, his music is an acoustic blend of folk, gospel and Americana. Dean sings songs that are both religious and secular, often blurring the lines between the two.

Born and raised in Maysville, Ky., Dean now lives, works and makes music in Indianapolis, Ind. He grew up singing in churches, often traveling to congregations around eastern Kentucky. His family and musical roots trace back to rural Kentucky.

Doc Possom of Indy Folk News writes: "Dean is an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). He is Reverend Dean Phelps, with no apologies, but although he's a Reverend, he's not very churchy. He is a regular guy with a fun repertoire, a relaxed manner, nice picking, and a friendly way of putting a song across!"

Recordings:

Dean's three recordings to date demonstrate his various influences and musical styles. Original arrangements of traditional hymns and faith music coupled with acoustic instrumentation and tight vocal harmony provide the common threads through each of his studio efforts, but each disc has a unique style that sets it apart from the others.

A voice from the past motivated Dean to record Give Us a Song, his latest full-length release, in 2008. A friend from college sent a cassette that Dean had recorded for her and her roommate when they were students at the University of Kentucky in the 1970s. The memories of songs from those years, coupled with a new original song and several new arrangements of traditional hymns, prompted him to head back into the studio two years after recording This Old House.

This Old House, released in 2006, features original arrangements of traditional gospel and faith music with songs like Love Divine and Farther Along. It that respect it is similar to Dean's first CD, Going Over Home. However, This Old House diverts from strictly acoustic instrumentation of that record to explore Dean’s traditional, folk, rock and blues influences. The Mike Reid song, Love Without Mercy, and Pete Siebel's Louise are two standout vocal performances on this disc.

Going Over Home , released in 1997, serves up gospel and tradtional hymns in a folk acoustic style. The recording covers a wide range of faith music, from folk hymns like Wayfaring Stranger to gospel standards like Just a Little Talk with Jesus and lesser known but profound songs like Mark Germino's God Ain't No Stained Glass Window.