Photo by Frank Beacham
Kenny White is 69 years old today.
A New York City-based singer-songwriter, studio musician and writer, White was originally known mostly as a writer of music for radio and TV commercials and a producer and session keyboard player. In this capacity, he worked with artists like Gladys Knight, Linda Ronstadt, Dwight Yoakam, Ricky Skaggs, Kim Carnes Felix Cavaliere, Dobie Gray and Aaron Neville.
White’s relationships with Marc Cohn and Shawn Colvin led to his producing Colvin’s Grammy-nominated, “I Don’t Know Why” and to his involvement in Cohn’s platinum debut record. White went on to produce three records for legendary J. Geils Band leader, Peter Wolf.
The second of which, “Sleepless,” was widely acclaimed. It gave White a chance to work with Keith Richards, Mick Jagger and Steve Earle. As a contributing writer/musician, White worked on many a film soundtrack including, Message in a Bottle, Ed TV, Forces of Nature, A Walk on the Moon, Where the Heart Is, Edie & Pen and four films by indie master, John Sayles.
After being hailed by reviewers for his piano playing, White chose to devote himself to making his first album. His work in the studio enabled him to assemble an A-list team of players for that release, 2002′s “Uninvited Guest.” White traveled and opened shows for many artists, including Cheryl Wheeler, Shawn Colvin, Peter Wolf, Richard Shindell and Jonathan Edwards.
An early copy of his follow-up record, “Symphony in 16 Bars,” landed in the hands of folk legend Judy Collins who then signed White to her own Wildflower Records and released the CD in the winter of 2005.
Showcasing another remarkable ensemble of talent, Symphony in 16 Bars picked up where Uninvited Guest left off, following a main character whose story, set in New York City, navigates the heart’s complexities through an ever changing urban landscape.