Sam Kenney - keyboards
Sam originated from Bellshill, Lanarkshire near Glasgow. At the age of about 6 or 7 Sam was given a piano accordion by an older cousin. He was soon knocking out a few jigs and reels. The family then moved to Derby when he was 8 years old, due to the employment situation in Scotland. Shortly after moving his dad bought a piano at an auction for 10 shillings (50p) plus 10 shillings transport costs. When they got the piano home they found that half the notes would not play as the spring mechanisms were broken. His dad fixed this by replacing the broken springs with rubber bands. This worked well and Sam soon started knocking out a few tunes.
He has played in various bands, performing pop, soft rock and classic rock. This includes both cover versions and original material. He has played in bands that have supported some big names from the seventies, including Amazing Blondell, Chapman Whitney Streetwalkers and Thin Lizzy.
He has also been a pub pianist and organist. He is self-taught, although he attended music lessons on piano for a short time after he had been playing for a while. He had to pack in the music lessons as his family could no longer afford them. In any case the lessons did not work very well as he tended to learn the tunes by heart and then play them by ear instead of following the music.
He is currently a self-employed musician, mainly playing old time music at retirement homes. His first love is rock music though and he is the keyboard player with Bad Whiskey. He likes to use the full range of sounds possible on electronic keyboards, including organs, pianos, electric pianos, strings, brass and synthesisers.
Sam originated from Bellshill, Lanarkshire near Glasgow. At the age of about 6 or 7 Sam was given a piano accordion by an older cousin. He was soon knocking out a few jigs and reels. The family then moved to Derby when he was 8 years old, due to the employment situation in Scotland. Shortly after moving his dad bought a piano at an auction for 10 shillings (50p) plus 10 shillings transport costs. When they got the piano home they found that half the notes would not play as the spring mechanisms were broken. His dad fixed this by replacing the broken springs with rubber bands. This worked well and Sam soon started knocking out a few tunes.
He has played in various bands, performing pop, soft rock and classic rock. This includes both cover versions and original material. He has played in bands that have supported some big names from the seventies, including Amazing Blondell, Chapman Whitney Streetwalkers and Thin Lizzy.
He has also been a pub pianist and organist. He is self-taught, although he attended music lessons on piano for a short time after he had been playing for a while. He had to pack in the music lessons as his family could no longer afford them. In any case the lessons did not work very well as he tended to learn the tunes by heart and then play them by ear instead of following the music.
He is currently a self-employed musician, mainly playing old time music at retirement homes. His first love is rock music though and he is the keyboard player with Bad Whiskey. He likes to use the full range of sounds possible on electronic keyboards, including organs, pianos, electric pianos, strings, brass and synthesisers.