Harrison Kennedy

Harrison Kennedy was born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario.  Kennedy grew up with a strong musical influence from his extended family but only focused on making music himself during his post-secondary education. Studying Chemistry and English at McMaster and then Brock University, Kennedy was getting smarter but also poorer. Looking for work, his dashing good looks and superior singing skills immediately caught the attention of many a Torontonian, and eventually landed the audition to join a 12-piece Toronto group. They’d eventually take him to Detroit for an ill-fated concert but it did get him in front of Motown songwriting legends, Edward Holland, Jr., Lamont Dozier, and Brian Holland.  He was invited to join a four-singer supergroup, the Chairmen of the Board, and for the next four years Kennedy was living the rock and roll lifestyle you think only belongs in the movies.  Beginning in 1968, the Chairmen of the Board played top venues including Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show, Soul Train, American Bandstand, and England’s Top of the Pops, doing their hit, “Give Me Just A Little More Time.” The Chairmen of The Board performed with B.B. King, James Brown, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Funkadelic, and more. But after a few years, that lifestyle wasn’t what Kennedy wanted. 

In the mid-'70s, Kennedy left the group and struck out on a solo career. Over the years he has been able to pull from styles as varied as funk, soul, R&B, folk, rock, and gospel.  He returned to Southern Ontario after the glitz of transatlantic pop stardom wore thin, but the Chairmen of the Board experience did encourage Kennedy to learn to write his music and play the guitar. By the time he’d gravitate back to Hamilton, Kennedy had rediscovered his original loves in soul and country blues and simply made music for its reward for the next few decades.

With a half dozen solo CDs under his belt, fans were crestfallen to learn that Kennedy had been diagnosed with cancer and rallied around him to celebrate him and help him beat it. We’re happy to report, the diagnosis is Kennedy is currently cancer-free and the experience helped further motivate his music in a new direction.

In 2008, Kennedy was nominated for Best Blues Recording in Canada's Juno Awards. He has also been awarded:

• The Reverend John C. Holland Arts and Culture Award in 1998.
• FIRST JUNO: Award Nomination for best original blues album “SWEET TASTE”.. 2004.
• SECOND JUNO Nomination for “VOICE & STORY”.. 2006.
• THIRD JUNO Nomination for "HIGH COUNTRY BLUES".. 2008
• FORTH JUNO Nomination for  "SHAME THE DEVIL"..2012
• 15 MAPLE BLUES Award Nominations for Best Acoustic act, Male Vocalist, producer, and writer of the year..2006-2008-2009-2010-2012
• Won for BLUES Album of the Year at the HAMILTON MUSIC AWARDS, "Sweet Taste", "Voice/Story, and "High Country Blues".
• 1ST Runner-up at the 2011 International BLUES CHALLENGE IN MEMPHIS TENNESSEE

Harrison Kennedy is up for five nominations for his newest release, "Soulscape", but he is also one of the recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2013 HMAs. He was nominated for Acoustic Artist 2013. 

(Harrison Kennedy at 18th Annual Poconos Blues Festival 2009)