Prez (Dec. 29, 1933 - June 27,1995.was a great singer, guitar and gut bucket bass player, and a really nice guy, he played with a big triangular flat pick and sang and played out of the same bass amp. I played a few gigs with him on the west side before died, Marvin Jackson or Twist Turner on drums. The New Moon Lounge on Laramie was one, it's no longer there, and the Harlem Ave Lounge in Berwyn on a Tuesday night.
The photo above shows Sleepy John Estes, Yank Rachell, Hammy Nixon and Prez Kenneth.
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So sad to hear that Kenny has passed. I worked with him at the Dodge dealer in LaGrange IL in 1965, he was the detail man in the shop. I knew him as Kenny Kidd, his stage name was Prez Kenneth. He had cut some wax back then & would be listening to the radio (I think WVON at the time) for them to play his cuts, when they did the whole shop (all 6 of us) would stop & dig the sounds. It was a great time & Kenny (Prez) was one of the coolest "Cats" I knew back then. After 10 months working with him I was drafted & was gone for 2 years & lost touch. I only regret I never had a chance to see him perform live. RIP Prez "Kidd" Kenneth
ReplyDeleteDick Kern
Shorewood, IL
... the man second from right on the photo at the top is *not* Prez Kenneth, but Mike Bloomfield! :-)
ReplyDeleteAlthough I did not caption the photo personally I was just looking at it closely, and I believe that you are absolutely right Stefan. Although the photo is unclear, it appears to be one of his classic gestures.
DeleteThanks