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Born 88 Years Ago Today in the Mile High City, the Drumming Pioneer Behind “Jolene” and Hits by Crystal Gayle and Johnny Cash
Kenny Malone, the influential Nashville session drummer who played on Dolly Parton's "Jolene" and Crystal Gayle's "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue," was born 88 years ago today in Denver, Colorado. Though rarely known by name to the wider public, Malone was central to some of country music's biggest recordings, prized for his ability to find exactly the right percussive sound for any song, and remembered as an unsung architect of the genre's classic era.
Malone began his musical life in the US Navy, where he served as director of the percussion department at the Naval School of Music, before moving to Nashville 14 years later to pursue session work. His breakthrough came via Carl Perkins, and he went on to record with stars including John Prine, Charley Pride, Alison Krauss, Guy Clark, Kenny Rogers, Ray Charles, Emmylou Harris and Waylon Jennings, often improvising with unconventional objects such as paint cans to achieve the right tone. He died in August 2021 due to health complications, leaving behind a lasting body of work across country music's golden age.
In short
- Session drummer Kenny Malone was born 88 years ago in Denver, Colorado.
- He played drums on Dolly Parton's "Jolene" and Crystal Gayle's hit.
- Malone worked with Johnny Cash, Ray Charles and Emmylou Harris; died 2021.
Explained simply
A session musician records with different artists, often without becoming well known to the public. In Nashville, a major centre of country music, Kenny Malone built a long career as a drummer whose playing supported recordings by many singers.
Malone first worked in music in the US Navy, then moved to Nashville to pursue recording work. He played on songs by Dolly Parton and Crystal Gayle, as well as recordings by artists including Johnny Cash, John Prine and Ray Charles.
His career shows how musicians working behind the scenes helped shape country music recordings. Malone was known for choosing sounds to suit each song, sometimes using everyday objects as percussion, and his work reached well beyond country music.
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