Memphis Kenny P was born in Memphis, TN in 1949. He grew up playing and jamming all over the South.
Moved to Chicago and played drums with the great Blues Harp player Corky Siegel amoung others.
Kenny moved to Los Angeles in the early 70's. There he played drums for Shuggie Otis, The Coasters, R. Dean Taylor, Paul Sabu and many more.
Truly a man for all seasons Kenny is also a Patent holder and a member of SAG and has appeared in many movies and television shows.
This music is bar room down home Southern Rock with some Country and Blues thrown in. Hope you enjoy it.
Sounds Like: Bob Seger And The Silver Bullet Band, The Allman Brothers Band
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Thanks to you folks I am now on 16 top 10 lists. Thanks!
Memphis Kenny P: The Soul of the Pocket
Kenneth Wayne Pruitt (known professionally as Memphis Kenny P) doesn't just write the blues; he lived them through five decades of American music history. From the garage-rock trenches of 1960s Memphis to the major concert stages of Chicago and Los Angeles, Kenny's career is a roadmap of the authentic sounds that defined an era.
The Memphis & Chicago Foundations
A mainstay of the original Memphis scene, Kenny was the rhythmic engine for The Los Angeles Smog Division (L.S.D.), the only group featured in the definitive book Garage Bands of Memphis. His career later took him to Chicago, where he held the drum throne for the legendary Corky Siegel. Playing for audiences of 5,000, Kenny's tenure with Siegel was so highly regarded that he was eventually succeeded by the iconic Sam Lay--arguably the greatest blues drummer in history.
On the Road & In the Pocket
As a professional drummer for over 50 years, Kenny has provided the heartbeat for some of the most influential names in American music:
Shuggie Otis: Served as the touring drummer for the psychedelic soul visionary across numerous performances--including a notable night at The Mint in LA where Kenny provided the pocket for rock icon Arthur Lee (Love) during a guest sit-in. A rare look at their chemistry can be seen on Kenny's YouTube channel: Shuggie Otis at The Mint.
Corky Siegel: Powering large-scale concert performances across the Chicago blues and crossover scenes.
Furry Lewis: Backing the legendary bottleneck slide master during the Memphis Blues revival.
The Coasters: Mastering the art of the R&B shuffle and vocal-group timing as a touring drummer.
Jeff Carp: Collaborating with the elite harmonica virtuoso during the height of the Chicago blues explosion.
The New Chapter: Digital Soul & Acoustic Roots
Today, Kenny has translated fifty years of road-worn wisdom into a prolific songwriting catalog. While he grew up in the orbit of Memphis legends, his current work is entirely his own--utilizing modern production to achieve the big, brassy "Stax-style" soul and gritty blues he has carried with him since the beginning.
Whether he is performing solo acoustic slide guitar--reminiscent of the atmospheric grit of Ry Cooder--or producing high-energy blues-rock singles, Kenny's music is anchored by one thing: the "Pocket."
"I've spent my life behind the kit, watching legends from the best seat in the house. Now, I'm just letting the music flow from the front of the stage."