Tribute to a living link to Detroit's past; saxman Kenny Brinkley!
 
The Rootsologists featuring Dan Devins (vocals/harmonica), George Friend (guitar/vocals), Mike Marshall (bass) and RJ Spangler (drums).
 
About McKinley "Kenny" Brinkley b. May 29, 1933 in Detroit, Mi
 
Attended Northern High School in Detroit: fellow alums included Kenny Burrell, Donald Bird, Paul Chambers, Barry Harris and Sonny Red. First picked up saxophone at age 18.

Played his first gigs in 1954 at Phelps Lounge w/ pianist/bandleader Teddy Harris Jr.
 
Drafted into the U.S. Army 1955 and was given a musical commission, stationed in Germany for three years, spending the first 6 months with nobody to play with as the military was still segregated at the time. Eventually he was brought together with other African-American musicians and formed a band that played at military bases around Europe for the next two years.

Upon returning to the States (1958-1959) Kenny played around Detroit clubs such as Phelps Lounge, the La Parisienne, Lee's Sensation Lounge, The Cotton Club as well as the Warfield Theatre with people like Little Willie John, Teddy Harris, Joe Weaver, Alberta Adams & Don Davis.

In the early/mid sixties Kenny spent several short periods of time with The Motor Town Revue.  The Revue performed on package concert tours of Motown artists in the 1960's. Early tours featured Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Mary Wells, The Marvelettes, Barrett Strong, and The Contours as headlining acts, and gave then-second-tier acts such as Marvin Gaye, Martha & The Vandellas, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, The Four Tops, Gladys Knight & the Pips and The Temptations the chances to improve their skills.Motown's entire roster, and occasionally non-Motown performers such as Dusty Springfield, The Shirelles and Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles, were featured on the tours.
 
This led to Kenny being on the famed recording of Stevie Wonder's Fingertips was made at The Regal Theater in Chicago in 1962.

In the late sixties Kenny hooked up with trumpeter Herbie Williams who had recorded with Charlie Parker. They formed a quintet called "The Decoys" along with Don Whitehead on drums, Leonard McIntyre on bass & Earnest Wilson on piano. The band played 5-6 nights a week into the early '70's 
 
Next Kenny formed a band he called "KB + 3" w/ Nate Shepard on organ, James Brown on drums, and various guitar players that worked on and off for about 10 years or so into the early to mid '80's.

Kenny was good friends with Detroit's blues DJ Famous Coachman (WDET).  Famous got Kenny a lot of gigs in the late '70's and into the '80's with various blues bands around Detroit. Eventually Kenny met Kenny Miller (c.1990) and played with The Kenny Miller Blues Band for a number of years.

Through Famous Coachman and  Kenny Miller, Kenny Brinkley met Dan Devins of The Back Door Blues Band at Alvin's in the winter of 1995 and has remained their sax player since early 1996.

Contact & Links - Terms of use