Rudy Love & the Encore

The belief that the concert stage/performance space is a sacred place is far from a new one but for Rudy Love Jr. and Love, the adage has rarely been as apt. 

Led by Wichita, Kansas native Rudy Love Jr., the collective delivers live shows that are of a rare caliber, defying genre, audience expectations, and just about any boundary imaginable. 

Raised in a musical family, Love is the son of Kansas music legend, the late Rudy Love, who led Rudy Love & The Love Family and performed with Sly & The Family Stone while also being a close friend of the legendary band leader. 

“Some people are raised in the church,” Love says, “my dad raised me in music. I guess for me, it’s an experience that deeply spiritual people have—they go where their god leads them and that’s what we do in the music, night after night.” 

Quickly establishing himself as a solo artist, Rudy Love Jr. opted to form the band love in 2021 as a vehicle for a broader musical palette and as a way to include more fellow musicians on his musical journey. 

“I think when you play under your own name and establish yourself that way for a long period of time people have expectations that can stick with you as a performer,” he says, “so with Love, I wanted to open that up and let other people share the spotlight. You know, Sly & The Family Stone wasn’t just about Sly. It was about all the people in the band and I think you can say that about all the groups that had a specific leader, down to Sharon Jones and Prince.” 

Joining the band are Rudy’s uncle Bob, Kansas music legend John Salem, drumming wizard Tom Tom Club, guitarist Rafael Michelangelo, bassist Donatello Titian, and vocalist Rhubarb “Patch” Ruzowski. 

“This is a special group of players,” Love says, “because I can turn to Patch and say, ‘Why don’t you rap over this part?’ and he’ll freestyle something that blows my mind. Then I can say to John, ‘Do something that’s classical but jazzy’ and he blows everyone away with that. Most of the time,” the multi-instrumentalist notes, “I don’t have to make any suggestion, though, they just know what to do and when to do it.” 

With an impressive body of work already behind him and a series of accomplishments that includes performing live with The Family Stone on a version of  “CAN’T REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE SONG,” which his father provided the recorded vocal for, Love’s attention remains firmly on the stage and with live music. Other opening slots/special performances here: 

“I enjoy the studio and I love making records but the live show gives me something I can’t describe,” he says. “The music just keeps growing and growing and once I know a song’s fully grown then it’s time to take it into the studio. That’s hard for some people to deal with because they want to have the record at home and they will once the time is right. I promise.” 

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