Kenny Bishop | |
---|---|
Birth name | Kenneth S. Bishop |
Born | April 8, 1966 |
Origin | Richmond, Kentucky, United States |
Genres | Southern Gospel Country Gospel Country music |
Occupation(s) | speaker, writer, minister, singer, songwriter |
Years active | 1984-present |
Website | www.kennybishop.com |
Kenny Bishop (born April 8, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, Christian speaker and minister. He is known for performing as part of the Bishops.
Kenny Bishop was born in Irvine, Kentucky in 1966 to Kenneth and Shirly Bishop. He grew up in Richmond, Kentucky with his three brothers, Mark, Loren and Christopher. After graduation from Madison Central High School, Kenny, along with his father and oldest brother, formed the Gospel singing group, the Bishops. While building the group's career, Kenny married Debra Hardy, studied at Lee College and served as Associate Pastor of Ravenna Church of God as an ordained Bishop. Kenny and Debra have two children, Casie and Christian.
Kenny traveled with his father Kenneth Bishop Sr. and his older brother Mark Bishop from 1984 to 2001 as a part of the Southern Gospel trio The Bishops. The group earned several industry and fan awards including from CashBox Magazine, the Gospel Voice, and the Gospel Music Association's Dove Award. They had several number one and top ten songs on the genre's music charts. The group traveled mostly within the United States, performed on many notable stages, and made several appearances on both Christian and mainstream television and radio. They recorded more than two dozen audio and video recordings. Many of their songs were written by Mark, who often wrote story-songs or ballads intended to make a spiritual or inspirational point. The Bishops were also noted for their a capella recordings and performances known as "front porch singing."
While performing with the Bishops, Kenny worked as a part-time political advisor and consultant, helping run and manage local and regional political campaigns. In the fall of 2002 Kenny joined the campaign staff of U.S. Congressman Ernie Fletcher. The following year the Congressman ran for Governor of Kentucky and was elected to a four-year term. Kenny worked in the Fletcher administration as the executive director of the Kentucky Governor's Mansion.
During his tenure as executive director, Kenny helped establish the annual Easter Egg Roll at the Governor's Mansion in 2004. He also served as a member of the Historic Properties Advisory Commission, and on the board of the Governor's Mansion Preservation Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization formed to raise funds for the renovation of Kentucky's executive residences. Kenny managed the multimillion-dollar renovation of Kentucky's executive residence that began in the winter of 2006. He was appointed by Governor Fletcher to the Kentucky Arts Council and served on the board of the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame.
After Fletcher's term in office, Kenny worked as Special Projects Manager for the Legislative Research Commission Archived September 21, 2011, at the Wayback Machine . In 2016 he went to work in the office of Mayor Jim Gray in Lexington, Kentucky as Deputy Communications Director and was appointed by Gray as the city's first LGBTQ Community Liaison. Kenny currently serves as Legislative Aide to 4th District City Councilmember Susan Lamb.
Kenny has produced several high-profile events in the Kentucky State Capital, including the Gospel Celebration in commemoration of the Kentucky Governor's Mansion's centennial and the 2017 inauguration of Governor Matt Bevin.
Kenny's first recording as a solo artist was released in May 2006 on Daywind Records. [1] The recording was nominated for a 2007 GRAMMY award in the Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album category. The self-titled release was also nominated for two GMA Dove Awards for the songs "The Prodigal's Dad" (written by Jeff Steele) and "Don't Let Who You Are Keep You Away" (written by Kenny). The same album contains the hit song "Lord Have Mercy!", written by Sonya Isaacs (who sings backup in Bishop's version) and several other songs co-written by Bishop as well as other well-known gospel music writers.
As a soloist and as part of the Bishops, Kenny has performed for several dignitaries and heads of state, including US presidents, governors and other appointed and elected officials. He has been a regular performer on the Gaither Homecoming video series and radio program, and has performed on Nashville's Grand Ole Opry, C-SPAN, CNN, and PBS. His story has been featured in Billboard , Country Weekly Magazine and in various Christian music publications.
Kenny attended the Lee College School of Religion and the Pentecostal Theological Seminary and in the 1990s served as Associate Pastor of Ravenna Church of God in Ravenna, Kentucky. He currently serves as Associate Pastor of Bluegrass United Church of Christ in Lexington, Kentucky and works as a traveling speaker and minister.
Kenny was married to Debra Hardy for 15 years. They have two children. Kenny married his partner Mason Miller in May 2018.
William Smith Monroe was an American mandolinist, singer, and songwriter, who created the bluegrass music genre. Because of this, he is often called the "Father of Bluegrass".
Steven Curtis Chapman is an American contemporary Christian music singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, author, and social activist.
Shirley Ann Caesar-Williams, known professionally as Shirley Caesar, is an American gospel singer. Her career began in 1951, when she signed to Federal Records at the age of 12. Throughout her seven decade career, Caesar has often been referred to as the "First Lady of Gospel Music", and "The Queen of Gospel Music". Additionally, she has won eleven Grammy Awards, fifteen Dove Awards, and fourteen Stellar Awards.
The Winans family is a U.S. family of gospel music artists from Detroit, Michigan.
William James Gaither is an American singer and songwriter of Southern gospel and contemporary Christian music. He has written numerous popular Christian songs with his wife Gloria; he is also known for performing as part of the Bill Gaither Trio and the Gaither Vocal Band. In the 1990s, his career gained a resurgence, as popularity grew for the Gaither Homecoming series.
"Blue Moon of Kentucky" is a waltz written in 1945 by bluegrass musician Bill Monroe and recorded by his band, the Blue Grass Boys. The song has since been recorded by many artists, including Elvis Presley, Paul McCartney. The song is the official bluegrass song of Kentucky.
Jesse Lester McReynolds was an American bluegrass musician. He was best known for his innovative crosspicking and split-string styles of mandolin playing.
Randall Franks is an American film and television actor, author, and bluegrass singer and musician who plays fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and mountain dulcimer. The singer was nominated for 2023 Inspirational Vocalist and Musician of the Year at the 9th Annual Josie Music Awards at the Grand Ole Opry House. He was inducted into the Tri-State Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2022; and America's Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame in 2019; Independent Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013; recognized by the International Bluegrass Music Museum & Hall of Fame in 2010 as a Bluegrass Legend; the Carolinas Country, Bluegrass and Gospel Hall of Fame presented him it’s Legend Award and designated him as the “Appalachian Ambassador of the Fiddle” in 2010; inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004; and was designated by Catoosa County, Ga. as "Appalachian Ambassador of the Fiddle" in 2004; and was inducted into the Chamber Business Person Hall of Fame and honored as Patriotic Citizen of the Year in 2020. He was chosen as the first 2020 AirPlay Direct Evolution Grant Artist (www.AirPlayDirect.com).
"I'll Fly Away" is a hymn written in 1929 by Albert E. Brumley and published in 1932 by the Hartford Music company in a collection titled Wonderful Message. Brumley's writing was influenced by the 1924 secular ballad, "The Prisoner's Song".
4Him was an American contemporary Christian group founded in 1990 in Mobile, Alabama. The group has ten Dove awards, a Grammy nomination and three certified gold albums to their credit. The group was inducted into Alabama's Music Hall of Fame, following the awarding of The Governor's Achievement Award. The group has also been featured performers for popular Christian Evangelist crusaders, Billy Graham and Luis Palau.
Gloria Gaither is a Christian singer-songwriter, author, speaker, editor, and academic. She is married to Bill Gaither and together they have written more than 700 songs. In 2000, ASCAP named them Christian Songwriters of the Century.. She performed, traveled and recorded with the Bill Gaither Trio from 1965 through 1991. Since 1991, she has served as a performer, recording artist, songwriter, scriptwriter and narrator for the Gaither Homecoming series of television broadcasts, video and DVD releases, and audio recordings.
Dottie Rambo was an American gospel singer and songwriter. She was a Grammy winning solo artist and multiple Dove award-winning artist. Along with ex-husband Buck and daughter Reba, she formed the award-winning southern Gospel group, The Rambos. She wrote more than 2,500 songs, including her most notable, "The Holy Hills of Heaven Call Me", "He Looked Beyond My Fault and Saw My Need", "We Shall Behold Him", and "I Go To the Rock".
The Original Hinsons were a multi-award-winning Southern Gospel group that was formed in 1967 and was active until 1994.
The Isaacs are a bluegrass Southern gospel music group consisting of mother Lily Isaacs, daughters Becky and Sonya Isaacs and son Ben Isaacs, along with John Bowman as an instrumentalist and songwriter. Joe Isaacs, formerly a singer and banjo player in the group, has left since his 1998 divorce from Lily Isaacs. He now does solo work on a far more localized level.
Ray Cummins is an American guitarist.
Kenny Winfree is an American folk singer and songwriter. He is best known for his labor classic, “I’m A Union Card.” Joe Glazer called Winfree, “this generation’s Woody Guthrie” and wrote “I felt like Kenny had Woody’s knack for writing catchy, moving songs with a message. His songs are easy to remember.”
Daryl Mosley is an American singer, musician, and songwriter. He is a three-time Songwriter of the Year with twelve #1 songs and three Song of the Year awards to his credit. Among them is the classic "(Ask the Blind Man) He Saw It All", the signature song of the southern gospel trio the Booth Brothers.
The Music of East Tennessee has a rich history, and played a major role in the development of modern country and bluegrass music. Bristol, known as "the birthplace of country music",, and Johnson City, notable for the Johnson City recording sessions, are both towns in the Tri-Cities region of East Tennessee. The music of East Tennessee is defined by country, gospel, and bluegrass artists, and has roots in Appalachian folk music.
Joe Mullins is an American banjo player, vocalist, band leader, and radio broadcaster. He plays bluegrass and gospel music.
"Use This Gospel" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his ninth studio album, Jesus Is King (2019). The song features guest appearances from hip hop duo Clipse and jazz saxophonist Kenny G. It was produced by West, Angel Lopez, DrtWrk, Frederico Vindver, and Timbaland, with co-production from BoogzDaBeast and Pi'erre Bourne. The song was recorded as a new version of the leaked track "Law of Attraction", which West came up with in a freestyle session. Clipse's feature on the song marked their reunion, after West requested for a collaboration. A gospel number with a maximalist style, it samples Two Door Cinema Club's "Costume Party" and includes a saxophone solo from Kenny G.