KEITH'S BIO

Keith Phelps, Dueling Guitars, Las Vegas
Keith Phelps

Keith Phelps comes from a musical Family background, growing up in a small town just outside of Champaign, Illinois called Mahomet. His musical career started at a very young age performing with his Family group, The Gospel Singing Phelps Family, for nearly a decade. The Phelps Family recorded three albums in the early 70's and toured throughout the Midwest. For years after that Keith helped his Father with his local Country band Sound Teching and building P.A. systems.

At age sixteen Keith took his brother's advice and started to play the Guitar. His only brother, Ron Phelps, had already been playing the Drums since the Phelps Family days and Keith had a lot of catching up to do. For the first two years he practiced day and night taking lessons and jamming with friends. Right out of High School Keith auditioned for a company called Young American Showcase. This was a Christian Company out of Florida that did positive message assembly programs at Jr. and Sr. High Schools all over the United States and Canada. These groups were called Free Fare and Freedom Jam. Keith was accepted into the Company and did two ten-month tours playing for over 1 million students. In Young American Showcase Keith learned how to perform and entertain before large crowds.

After two Years of being on the road, Keith and his brother Ron decided it was time to start there own band called "Mistress" and did so in June of 1987. The band Mistress was primarily a trio that played original and cover tunes at local bars and opened for many National Touring Acts. Mistress released a self titled CD in 1991 and toured the Midwest for 14 years receiving regional acclaim and financial success.

Keith also owned and operated a local Sound and Light Company from 1992 to 1998 called Pro Sound Rental. In 1998 Keith sold his Company and decided he just wanted to play Guitar and Sing. By the year 2001 Keith and Ron had played just about every bar and show there was to play in and around Illinois. Keith decided it was time to make a change in his life, leave his family, friends, and band, for Las Vegas in July 2001. Some close friends had moved to Vegas in 1995 and Keith had visited every year and just loved it.

Upon arriving in Vegas, Keith quickly realized how tough it would be to put a band together since he did not know anyone. He religiously went out to network and meet others and make new friends. One of these new friends was Vegas Favorite Single Act Tommy Rocker. Tommy helped Keith get his name out and known, and gave him some fill-in dates at his club, Tommy Rockers, located on Industrial Ave. across from the Rio. Although doing a single act wasn't what Keith had in mind it was a good way to meet new people and get started.

Soon after arriving in Las Vegas, Keith got a weekly gig as a Single Act at the Stratosphere Hotel Casino. This is where he meet Mark O'Toole. Mark had been looking for a guitar player and hired him on the spot. Keith worked with Mark for over 3 year in the house band at the Paris Hotel and Casino. During this time Keith met and became friends with singer - guitarist Bert Lynch, who at the time owned a bar in Las Vegas called “Norma Jean's." As Keith and Bert's friendship grew and Keith's gig at Paris Hotel & Casino ended, Bert asked Keith to join him in a concept Bert had been working on called “Dueling Guitars.” Keith signed on and the two opened shortly there after in Octane Lounge at the Excalibur hotel and casino. In October of 09 they celebrated 3 years in that venue. Bert and Keith Dueling Guitars is proving to be a great match up of talent and innovation that shows no sign of slowing down. See Schedule page for current performances of Dueling Guitars.