Darrell Klein named to music hall of fame

A Spokane Valley swing musician has been inducted into the Western Swing Music Society of Seattle’s hall of fame.

Steel guitar player Darrell Klein, a regular in the Gospel Opry and Gospel Jubilee shows in Eastern Washington and North Idaho, was nominated to the hall of fame because of his beautiful and exciting music. In his musical career, Klein, 73, has played with acts like Earnest Tubb, Rose Maddox and Johnny and Joanie Mosby, as well as members of his musical family.

Patrons of the old Ace of Clubs bar in Coeur d’Alene will remember Klein as the leader of My Three Sons, the house band composed of Klein and his three boys. Klein owned the bar until 1976. My Three Sons toured Canada along with Blood Sweat and Tears.

Klein’s musical journey began in the Midwest and stretches to the Oregon coast. His roots extend to Gilmore City, Iowa, where he grew up playing with five brothers in the Klein Brother’s band. Darrell Klein took up steel guitar while playing with his brothers and used the instrument to land jobs with the Rusty Clark Group, the Johnny O’Keefe Group and Tommy Kaziah & The West Coast Ramblers.

Work took Klein to the Oregon coast, where worked as a prison guard for the Oregon State Penitentiary, but he kept playing western swing. Klein recorded songs for Starday Records as a singer in 1968. Folks in the music business compared him to Jim Reeves. Capital Records offered to sign Klein, but he decided to stay in Spokane rather than move to Nashville.

Klein became a Christian several years ago and now plays in the Gospel Opry and Gospel Jubilee, often with his wife, Carol. Once a year, the couple travel to Arizona to play gospel music on Indian reservations.