Kenny Lovelace

Last updated

Kenny Lovelace
Birth nameKenneth Lovelace
Born (1936-08-18) August 18, 1936 (age 86)
Montgomery, Alabama
Genres Rock and roll
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, musician, guitarist, bandleader
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar, fiddle
Years active1955–present
Website jerryleelewis.org

Kenneth Lovelace (born August 18, 1936) is an American guitarist and singer best known for his tenure with Jerry Lee Lewis since 1966.

Life

Lovelace was born in Cloverdale, Alabama. He grew up in a small village 12 miles from Florence, where his family worked on a farm. Lovelace hooked up with a band called the Go-Go-Boys, who later changed their name to The Five Jets. He was with them for twelve years. [1]

While playing in Monroe, Louisiana, he met rock and roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis, through Jerry's sister Linda Gail Lewis. Lewis wanted to hire the whole band, but the others had families to look after, so Jerry hired Kenny. He has been guitarist and band leader of the Memphis Beats for more than 40 years. [2] Kenny lives in Nashville, Tennessee with his wife. [1]

Lovelace has also recorded with artists such as Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerry Lee Lewis</span> American rock n roll musician (1935–2022)

Jerry Lee Lewis was an American pianist, singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "The Killer", he was described as "rock 'n' roll's first great wild man". A pioneer of rock 'n' roll and rockabilly music, Lewis made his first recordings in 1952 at Cosimo Matassa's J&M Studio in New Orleans, Louisiana, and early recordings in 1956 at Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee. "Crazy Arms" sold 300,000 copies in the Southern United States, but it was his 1957 hit "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" that shot Lewis to worldwide fame. He followed this with the major hits "Great Balls of Fire", "Breathless", and "High School Confidential". His rock and roll career faltered in the wake of his marriage to Myra Gale Brown, his 13-year-old first cousin once removed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glen Hardin</span> American piano player and arranger

Glen Dee Hardin is an American piano player and arranger. He has performed and recorded with such artists as Roy Orbison, Elvis Presley, Emmylou Harris, John Denver, and Ricky Nelson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alvin Lee</span> English singer, songwriter, and guitarist (1944–2013)

Alvin Lee was an English singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is best known as the lead vocalist and lead guitarist of the blues rock band Ten Years After.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenny Aronoff</span> American drummer

Kenneth D. Aronoff is an American drummer originally from Massachusetts. He has played in backing bands for singers such as John Mellencamp and John Fogerty, plus session work on many albums and TV shows. He has taught drumming at the college level and owns a recording studio as well. His drumming skills have been recognized by magazines such as Rolling Stone and Modern Drummer.

<i>Last Man Standing</i> (Jerry Lee Lewis album) 2006 studio album by Jerry Lee Lewis

Last Man Standing is the 39th studio album released by American recording artist, pianist, and rock and roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis in September 2006. The album consists of duets between Lewis and some of the biggest names in both rock and country music, past and present. The title derives from the generation of 1950s Sun Studios recording artists such as Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Charlie Rich, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley; all of whom had died, leaving Lewis the "last man standing". Lewis died in October 2022. Following the success of the album, a DVD Last Man Standing Live was released featuring similar duets with famous artists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California Man (song)</span> 1972 single by The Move

"California Man" is a song by British rock and roll band The Move. It was written by the band's guitarist/vocalist Roy Wood, who has said he wrote it as a pastiche of Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenny Wayne Shepherd</span> American musician (born 1977)

Kenny Wayne Shepherd is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He has released several studio albums and experienced significant commercial success as a blues artist.

Last Man Standing Live is a live album by Jerry Lee Lewis recorded in September 2006, in cooperation with other musicians. It was released in March 2007, and was Lewis' first live album in thirty-seven years, after Live at the International, Las Vegas in 1970.

The Snearly Ranch Boys were a band that formed around 1950 in Memphis, Tennessee. The band was a launching platform for many of the musicians who contributed to the Memphis music scene that revolved around Sam Phillips and Sun Records. Members of the Snearly Ranch Boys included Bill Black, Jim Stewart, Jerry Lee Lewis, Reggie Young, Ace Cannon, Barbara Pittman, and Johnny Benero. A later version of the Ranch Boys centering on steel guitarist, Stan Kesler and drummer, Clyde Leoppard, who became a part of the Sun Studio session band, recording for numerous Sun artists.

<i>She Still Comes Around</i> 1969 studio album by Jerry Lee Lewis

She Still Comes Around (To Love What's Left of Me) is the ninth album by Jerry Lee Lewis. It was released on Smash Records in 1969.

Together is an duet album by Jerry Lee Lewis and his sister Linda Gail Lewis. The album was released in 1969 on the Smash record label.

<i>She Even Woke Me Up to Say Goodbye</i> (album) 1970 studio album by Jerry Lee Lewis

She Even Woke Me Up to Say Goodbye is the 13th album by pianist and singer Jerry Lee Lewis. It was released on Mercury Records in 1970.

<i>Touching Home</i> (album) 1971 studio album by Jerry Lee Lewis

Touching Home is an album by Jerry Lee Lewis that was released on Mercury Records in 1971.

<i>The Killer Rocks On</i> 1972 studio album by Jerry Lee Lewis

The Killer Rocks On is an album by Jerry Lee Lewis that was released on Mercury Records in 1972.

<i>Live at the International, Las Vegas</i> 1970 live album by Jerry Lee Lewis

Live at the International, Las Vegas is a live album by Jerry Lee Lewis that was released on Mercury Records in 1970.

<i>The Session...Recorded in London with Great Artists</i>

The Session...Recorded in London with Great Artists is a double album by Jerry Lee Lewis released on Mercury Records in 1973. It was recorded in London and features Lewis teaming up with British musicians, including Peter Frampton and Albert Lee.

<i>Southern Roots: Back Home to Memphis</i> 1973 studio album by Jerry Lee Lewis

Southern Roots: Back Home in Memphis is an album by Jerry Lee Lewis released on Mercury Records in 1973.

<i>Jerry Lee Lewis</i> (Elektra album) 1979 studio album by Jerry Lee Lewis

Jerry Lee Lewis is the 35th studio album by American rock and roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis, released by Elektra in 1979.

James Mack Van Eaton, known as Jimmy Van Eaton or J. M. Van Eaton, is an American rock and roll drummer, singer and record producer, best known for his recordings as the drummer in sessions with Jerry Lee Lewis and others at Sun Records in the 1950s. Lewis referred to him as "THE creative rock 'n' roll drummer".

<i>Rock & Roll Time</i> 2014 studio album by Jerry Lee Lewis

Rock & Roll Time is the 41st and final studio album by American singer Jerry Lee Lewis, released on November 7, 2014, by Vanguard Records. The album featured several big name friends as musicians including Keith Richards, Band guitarist Robbie Robertson, Neil Young and Nils Lofgren. The album peaked at number 33 on Billboard's Top Rock Albums chart and number 30 on Billboard's Independent Albums chart.

References

  1. 1 2 "Ken Lovelace -Bio-". Ken Lovelace. Archived from the original on June 2, 2012. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
  2. Bragg, Rick. Jerry Lee Lewis His Own Story. Blackstone, 2014.
  3. Ken Burke. "The Continuing Saga of Dr. Iguana – the Kenneth Lovelace Interview." Rock N Roll Freaks (September 15, 2015). http://www.rocknrollfreaks.com/jerry-lee-lewis-week/the-continuing-saga-of-dr-iguana-the-kenneth-lovelace-interview/ Archived October 14, 2018, at the Wayback Machine