Beverly Kenney
Encyclopedia
Beverly Kenney was an American jazz
singer.
as a telephone birthday singer
. After moving to New York City
, she recorded a demo in 1954 with Tony Tamburello; the demo was released in its entirety 2006 by SSJ Records in 2006 under the title Snuggled on Your Shoulder. By the end of the year she had moved to Miami, where she landed a recurring engagement at the Black Magic Room. Jimmy
and Tommy Dorsey
heard her and took her on tour in the orchestra they co-led; she worked with them for several months before breaking off to move back to New York.
Upon her return, she worked in clubs with George Shearing
, Don Elliott
, and Kai Winding
; After a short tour of the Midwest with Larry Sonn, she signed to Roost Records
and released her first album in 1956. Her second release, Come Swing with Me, saw her working with Ralph Burns
, and Jimmy Jones
led an ensemble behind her for her third and final release for Roost in 1957.
Kenney then moved to Decca Records
, and released three further LPs with them, including Beverly Kenney Sings For Playboys (1958), Born to Be Blue (1959), and Like Yesterday (1959). Beverly Kenney Sings For Playboys featured liner notes by Steve Allen
, which praised Kenney's vocal style and stated, "A word to Playboys: I would not recommend this album as Music to Make the Romantic Approach By. You’re apt to get more interested in Beverly than the girl you’re trying to impress."
Kenney was a critically acclaimed musician, but she saw little widespread acceptance, due at least in part to the burgeoning rock & roll movement. She had an intense personal dislike for this music, even going so far as to compose a song called "I Hate Rock and Roll", which she performed on the Steve Allen Show on May 18, 1958. She had a failed relationship with Milton Klonsky late in the 1950s, and became moody and emotionally distant according to family and friends, though the exact reasons why are not clear.
through a combination of alcohol
and Seconal. She was 28.
To this day, Kenney remains a cult
figure in Japan
, where all of her albums have been reissued to CD and have remained in print on a relatively steady basis. Japan's SSJ Records have released three collections of unreleased Beverly Kenney material: Snuggled on Your Shoulder (2006), Lonely and Blue (2007), and What Is There To Say? (2009). This first in the series, Snuggled on Your Shoulder, was reissued by Cellar Door Records in 2010; it features the SSJ Records release in its entirety plus bonus tracks from a recently discovered radio show. One track from Snuggled On Your Shoulder, "Tea For Two
", was released on the Vintage music compilation This is Vintage Now (2011).
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
singer.
Biography
Kenney worked early in life for Western UnionWestern Union
The Western Union Company is a financial services and communications company based in the United States. Its North American headquarters is in Englewood, Colorado. Up until 2006, Western Union was the best-known U.S...
as a telephone birthday singer
Happy Birthday to You
"Happy Birthday to You", also known more simply as "Happy Birthday", is a song that is traditionally sung to celebrate the anniversary of a person's birth...
. After moving to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, she recorded a demo in 1954 with Tony Tamburello; the demo was released in its entirety 2006 by SSJ Records in 2006 under the title Snuggled on Your Shoulder. By the end of the year she had moved to Miami, where she landed a recurring engagement at the Black Magic Room. Jimmy
Jimmy Dorsey
James "Jimmy" Dorsey was a prominent American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, trumpeter, composer, and big band leader. He was known as "JD"...
and Tommy Dorsey
Tommy Dorsey
Thomas Francis "Tommy" Dorsey, Jr. was an American jazz trombonist, trumpeter, composer, and bandleader of the Big Band era. He was known as "The Sentimental Gentleman of Swing", due to his smooth-toned trombone playing. He was the younger brother of bandleader Jimmy Dorsey...
heard her and took her on tour in the orchestra they co-led; she worked with them for several months before breaking off to move back to New York.
Upon her return, she worked in clubs with George Shearing
George Shearing
Sir George Shearing, OBE was an Anglo-American jazz pianist who for many years led a popular jazz group that recorded for MGM Records and Capitol Records. The composer of over 300 titles, he had multiple albums on the Billboard charts during the 1950s, 1960s, 1980s and 1990s...
, Don Elliott
Don Elliott
Don Elliott was an American jazz trumpeter, vibraphonist, vocalist, and mellophone player. His album Calypso Jazz is considered by some jazz enthusiasts to be one of the definitive calypso jazz albums. Elliott recorded over 60 albums and 5,000 advertising jingles throughout his career...
, and Kai Winding
Kai Winding
Kai Chresten Winding was a popular Danish-born American trombonist and jazz composer. He is well known for a successful collaboration with fellow trombonist J. J. Johnson.-Biography:...
; After a short tour of the Midwest with Larry Sonn, she signed to Roost Records
Roost Records
Roost Records was a record label established in 1949, primarily to record jazz, taking its secondary name from the New York club with which it was associated...
and released her first album in 1956. Her second release, Come Swing with Me, saw her working with Ralph Burns
Ralph Burns
Ralph Burns was an American songwriter, bandleader, composer, conductor, arranger and bebop pianist.-Early life:...
, and Jimmy Jones
Jimmy Jones
Jimmy Jones may refer to:*Jimmy Jones , American jazz pianist*Jimmy Jones , American singer/songwriter*Jimmy Jones , footballer who played for Stoke...
led an ensemble behind her for her third and final release for Roost in 1957.
Kenney then moved to Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
, and released three further LPs with them, including Beverly Kenney Sings For Playboys (1958), Born to Be Blue (1959), and Like Yesterday (1959). Beverly Kenney Sings For Playboys featured liner notes by Steve Allen
Steve Allen
Steve Allen may refer to:*Steve Allen , American musician, comedian, and writer*Steve Allen , presenter on the London-based talk radio station LBC 97.3...
, which praised Kenney's vocal style and stated, "A word to Playboys: I would not recommend this album as Music to Make the Romantic Approach By. You’re apt to get more interested in Beverly than the girl you’re trying to impress."
Kenney was a critically acclaimed musician, but she saw little widespread acceptance, due at least in part to the burgeoning rock & roll movement. She had an intense personal dislike for this music, even going so far as to compose a song called "I Hate Rock and Roll", which she performed on the Steve Allen Show on May 18, 1958. She had a failed relationship with Milton Klonsky late in the 1950s, and became moody and emotionally distant according to family and friends, though the exact reasons why are not clear.
Death and Legacy
On April 13, 1960, Kenney committed suicideSuicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
through a combination of alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
and Seconal. She was 28.
To this day, Kenney remains a cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
figure in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, where all of her albums have been reissued to CD and have remained in print on a relatively steady basis. Japan's SSJ Records have released three collections of unreleased Beverly Kenney material: Snuggled on Your Shoulder (2006), Lonely and Blue (2007), and What Is There To Say? (2009). This first in the series, Snuggled on Your Shoulder, was reissued by Cellar Door Records in 2010; it features the SSJ Records release in its entirety plus bonus tracks from a recently discovered radio show. One track from Snuggled On Your Shoulder, "Tea For Two
Tea for Two
Tea for Two can refer to:*Tea for Two , a 1925 popular song by Vincent Youmans and Irving Caesar, introduced in the musical, No, No, Nanette*Tea for Two , a movie starring Doris Day which reintroduced the song...
", was released on the Vintage music compilation This is Vintage Now (2011).
Discography
- Beverly Kenney Sings for Johnny Smith (Roost RecordsRoost RecordsRoost Records was a record label established in 1949, primarily to record jazz, taking its secondary name from the New York club with which it was associated...
, 1956) - “Surrey with the Fringe on Top” b/w “This Little Town in Paris” (Royal Roost, 1956)
- Come Swing with Me (Roost RecordsRoost RecordsRoost Records was a record label established in 1949, primarily to record jazz, taking its secondary name from the New York club with which it was associated...
, 1956) - Beverly Kenney Sings with Jimmy Jones & the Basie-ites (Roost RecordsRoost RecordsRoost Records was a record label established in 1949, primarily to record jazz, taking its secondary name from the New York club with which it was associated...
, 1957) - Beverly Kenney Sings for Playboys (Decca RecordsDecca RecordsDecca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
, 1958) - “The Magic Touch” b/w “Your Love is My Love” (Decca RecordsDecca RecordsDecca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
, 1958) - Born to be Blue (Decca RecordsDecca RecordsDecca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
, 1959) - Like Yesterday (Decca RecordsDecca RecordsDecca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
, 1960) - Snuggled on Your Shoulder (SSJ Records, 2006; composed of 1954 demo recordings)
- Lonely and Blue (SSJ Records, 2007)
- What Is There To Say? (SSJ Records, 2009)
- Snuggled on Your Shoulder (Cellar Door Records, 2010; reissue of SSJ Records release with bonus tracks)
External links
- [ Beverly Kenney at Allmusic]
- Beverly Kenney Biography and Discography at This is Vintage Now
- Beverly Kenney Sings for Playboys (1958) review at Nostalgia and Now