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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Entertainment
Alexis Petridis, Ben Beaumont-Thomas and Rachel Keenan

Add to playlist: Kashus Culpepper’s ‘southern sounds’ and the week’s best new tracks

Kashus Culpepper holds a guitar, resting against a car
‘Singing like it’s my last day on Earth’ … Kashus Culpepper. Photograph: Jessie Addleman

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Kashus Culpepper’s story has something of the Hollywood movie about it. A former firefighter who went on to enlist in the US Navy, he only picked up a guitar five years ago to entertain his fellow troops when they were locked down in barracks during the pandemic. On his return to the US, he began working for a cement company while posting clips of covers and his own songs to social media: one attracted the attention of Samuel L Jackson, who reposted it to his 9 million followers. Within a few months, Culpepper had both a record deal and a co-sign from another navy veteran, country star Zach Bryan. By the end of last year, Culpepper was performing at Nashville’s legendary Grand Ole Opry.

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