Tim Krekel

Timothy Joseph Krekel (October 10, 1950 – June 24, 2009) was an American rock singer and country music songwriter from Louisville, Kentucky.

He was singing and playing guitar for audiences by the time he was 12, gigging in Lebanon, Kentucky, at places including The Golden Horseshoe and Club 68.

It was around this time that two of Krekel's peers, Steve Ferguson and Terry Adams, went off and started NRBQ, returning to Louisville with a record contract.

He and Dusty moved to New York City, where they played gigs for a few months while Krekel began to write more seriously.

They first played at 118 W. Washington Street behind white soul singer Len Wade (for then-lease-owner Eddie Donaldson).

They favored Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, POCO, the Byrds, some of Krekel's originals, and general pop.

Krekel had also assembled his band "The Sluggers" with John Owen, guitarist Thomas Goldsmith, keyboardist Jay Spell and Louisville drummer Dave Marasco.

Krekel was offered the opportunity to make his own record and decided to leave Buffett's band to pursue his own musical vision.

Krekel and the Sluggers toured the country for a few years performing with musicians including Carl Perkins, the Blasters and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

It received a four-star rating from CD Review, which also touted Krekel as "one of American Rock 'N Roll's great unknowns."

Rejuvenated by his return to familiar surroundings, Krekel remembered why he began to make music in the first place.

In reviewing the album, The Courier-Journal said "Krekel works the roots-rock territory with an authority gained from 25 years in the business".

The CD was originally to be by Tim Krekel and the Kasualties, with a song titled "We're All Casualties" as the lead-off track.

The new recording soon took on a life of its own and caught the eye of NBC Sports which filmed Krekel and his band and showed highlights of the performance during a pre-Preakness National broadcast.