Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne

You have been called Blues Boss. How did that name come about?

Well, my piano style is very much like a guy named Amos Milburn, I always loved the song "One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer" by Amos Milburn. At the time, I was wearing zoot suits, which is basically a 1940s look—big lapels, fedora hats, a very 1940-ish style. I found out that one of his last albums was called Return of the Blues Boss. I said, I think I’ll borrow that. I did hear from some of Milburn’s relatives, and they appreciated that I’m carrying their uncle’s music forward.  

Given your deep roots in gospel, jazz, and boogie-woogie, how have these intersecting styles informed the way you interpret and express the blues?

When I was being raised, our house was basically just gospel music—Dixie Hummingbirds, Mahalia Jackson. My dad was a minister. My uncle was on the wild track, the energy track. He liked jazz, blues, women—he was one of those romantic guys. My dad enjoyed what he called sophisticated blues—the kind of blues that could be played in front of kings and queens: Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald. My uncle introduced me to the music of the rest of the world: Harry Belafonte, Latin music, Cal Tjader. He brought me into what I called the music of the night—the late-night blues, early morning blues, that type of music. 

Could you share the key influences   the winding path that inspired   shaped the unique musical voice you’ve come to be known for?

As I grew older, I took music more as a mission. The mission sort of turned back toward my roots, which is basically gospel and blues. I was very interested in history. When I took the Blues Boss name, I was heading back to history without even knowing it. I'm thankful for that because when I decided to go into the blues, there was a lot of recognition. I gained a lot of respect from musicians and my peers across all genres of music—rock, blues, funk.

Would you advise that to younger people today—to explore intersecting styles, not just musically but emotionally and culturally?

I would encourage people to get a well-rounded education, to dip back in time. I'm 80 years old, and I'm still discovering things about history, about music and who created it. A lot of young blues kids don't go beyond Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton. I realize there were a lot of great musicians in the '40s, '30s, and '20s. Most of it is passed down, or a lot of the documentation was done by Europeans. I see the old record player and records (gramophone) behind you. Most people your age in might not know anyone before Aretha Franklin, don't know anything about Bessie Smith. In Europe, where those records are still cherished.  I knew about the singers that went to France to get known because of segregation back in the '30s and '40s. Josephine Baker, Memphis Slim and others. When I went To France first time, I asked a promoter why there was such interest in blues music there. They told me, “We study and document music that was created by the people who created it.” That opened my eyes. They weren’t talking about African culture from the continent—they meant Black Americans. In America, people often want to forget that era. 

Blues comes from a specific history, yet speaks to people worldwide. What makes it feel so universal, in your view?

Because it's emotional storytelling. Like gospel music—it may talk about pain, but there’s rejoicing at the end. Music heals. I was raised in the church, and gospel sings about the crucifixion—but it leads to heaven. Some say blues is depressing, but I think it's an emotional release. You tell a story, and you move on. When I play, my fingers bounce on the piano. So even if the lyrics are sad, there’s joy in the rhythm, in the beat. That’s blues to me.

You're known as a modern boogie-woogie master. What keeps you hooked—the groove, the left-hand drive, the energy, or something deeper?

All of it. I like 40’s jump(blues), it wasn’t the greatest time, but they brought out the most beautiful music even though there was a war going on. Boogie-woogie has that groove. They say the left hand is like the hand of God, the right hand is the hand of the devil—because the left is steady and the right is wild. It’s playful. In gospel you avoid the highest piano register—that attracts attention, attracts the devil. If you're in the nightclub, that's what you want to attract.

As a pianist deeply rooted in rhythm   groove, what advice would you give to dancers who want to deepen their connection to blues music?

You don't have to show them—they just jump in, create a dance. I love watching old clips of Cab Calloway, Louis Jordan. Unbelievable dancers. Tap dancing, too. I don’t tap myself, but I love it, part of that big band swing era.  Dancers are more playful than we are. The more playful they get, the more they dance to the tickling of the ivory, right? So, I guess it’s not something I ever really talked about, but it’s just a communication. Because we enjoy it, and we see dancers up dancing because they enjoy it too.

If you could pick one artist, past or present, to perform with—who would it be?

Keb’ Mo’. I like his style, his songs. I have a passion for some country blues too. You can hear the new country beat sounding funkier than it used to. They even got country rap now, gospel rap too.  I would like to play with Bonnie Raitt.  Another one of my favorite piano players is Floyd Cramer. He’s one of the foremost country piano players. 

What mission or purpose Blue Boss carry?

it’s the mission to keep the piano an important part. Because I think a lot of people think that the piano isn’t that important in blues. Piano is blues. There was a time in the 50s, where every club in—in Texas, New Orleans, Chicago—were led by piano players. In Chicago, when the places got bigger, crowds began to get louder, things had to be amplified. the guitar players began to move up in the front, then piano players moved in the back. So, my mission is to keep piano up in front. I like the Ray Charles, like the Fats Domino, Little Richard—those guys had the piano player up in front.