STEVE WHITEMAN
You're Welcome CD JEWELCASE

Back in 2021, for the first time in his 35+ year history as the lead singer and front man of KIX, Steve Whiteman released his first ever solo album, You’re Welcome. The 12-song album was co-produced by Whiteman along with collaborators bassist Brad Divens (Wrathchild America, Souls At Zero), drummer Jimmy Chalfant (KIX, The Blues Vultures), and guitarist Bob Paré. Recorded and mixed by Divens at Fixintogetmixin Studio during the pandemic , which had interrupted KIX’s touring plans. The circumstances provided Whiteman the opportunity to focus on writing and recording the album. “Not being able to play for over a year gave me the opportunity to get together with some friends and make an album of these songs. It was great having something to do during COVID. We all had a great time making this record and I’m very proud of it!”, said Whiteman. You’re Welcome is chock full of hard-rock gems; whether it’s the harmonica-splattered conflict of “Bad Blood,” the bluesy strike of “Lightning Bolt,” the instantly catchy “Do Me Like You Done Me Before,” the heartfelt and somewhat melancholy “Kid Dynamite,” a tribute to Ronnie Younkins [KIX guitarist], who was going through another bout of rehab during the writing, or the lusty wink-nudgery of “Tug of Luv” (one of the Whiteman’s personal favorite tracks). “I knew pretty early on this music wasn’t KIX music and that it was definitely going to be for my solo thing”, says Whiteman. You’re Welcome adds yet another exciting chapter to the legendary frontman’s storied recorded legacy. If Whiteman’s loyal KIX fanbase feels like the album title sounds familiar, they’d be right. “It comes from a bit I do during KIX shows where I ask our crowds for a response. I demand they reply, ‘You’re welcome’ every time I say, ‘Thank you,’” Whiteman explains. And if the cover art gives them an incredible sense of déjà vu — it depicts Whiteman’s signature at the top, and a large, self-drawn stick figure underneath it, they’re exactly right. “Yeah, that started when KIX’s first album came out and the label had us do all these local in-stores,” Whiteman recounts. “It was madness, because we would be sitting there for like two or three hours just signing albums. People were always saying things like, ‘Write something special to me’ or ‘do something special,’ and I just ran out of ideas. Finally, I just started doing this little stick man as a portrait — and it kinda stuck. When people ask for my autograph now, they want my stick man — and now everybody can get it on the cover of my album.”

FOR FANS OF: Kix, Funny Money, Helix, AC/DC an Aerosmith