Jerry Kennedy "Jerry Kennedy's Dancing Guitars Rock The Hits Of The King" (Smash Records, 1961) (LP)
(Produced by Shelby Singleton)
This was his first solo album for Smash -- an homage to his early idol, Elvis Presley -- although he had already recorded a string of jaunty lounge/pop instrumental albums before this, working with fellow picker Tommy Tomlinson as "Tom & Jerry." (See below.)
Tom & Jerry "Guitar's Greatest Hits" (Mercury Records, 1961) (LP)
(Produced by Shelby Singleton)
During the Kennedy era (no pun intended) Jerry Kennedy worked with fellow guitarist Tommy Tomlinson in the pop instrumental duo "Tom & Jerry," which was an early plaything for producer Shelby Singleton to explore various strands of not-so-country pop music. This album includes a big string section and a little extra instrumental muscle from guitarist Harold Bradley, Hank Garland, and Kelso Herston, as well as pianist Floyd Cramer, saxophonist Boots Randolph, and several other sidemen who would become known as part of the 1960's Nashville A-team. The repertoire is an odd mix of country oldies ("Wildwood Flower," "Guitar Boogie," "Sugarfoot Rag"), teen rockers ("Rebel Rouser, "Raunchy," "Rumble," "Walk, Don't Run") and pop standards such as "Caravan" and "The Third Man Theme." It was apparently a profitable formula, because the group put out quite a few albums.
Tom & Jerry "Guitars Play The Sound Of Ray Charles" (Mercury Records, 1962) (LP)
(Produced by Shelby Singleton)
Trite, muzak-y renditions of classic soul-pop hits by the then-ascendant Ray Charles. Not very country, and not my bag, really.
Tom & Jerry "Guitar's Greatest Hits, Volume Two" (Mercury Records, 1962) (LP)
(Produced by Shelby Singleton & Bill Justis)
More muzak from Nashville. This album includes covers of contemporary pop hits like "Green Onions," Freddie King's "Hide Away," and various movie soundtracks, including the theme to The Magnificent Seven. Jerry Kennedy is credited as composing several of instrumentals, with titles like "Irish Dream," "Smoke Stack" and "Wheels." Producer Shelby Singleton contributes high-falutin', pretentious liner notes which try to elevate what was essentially lightweight pop exploitation into some kind of highbrow musical exploration. This is true of the other Tom & Jerry albums; I just haven't mentioned it until now.
Tom & Jerry "Surfin' Hootenanny" (Mercury Records, 1963) (LP)
Passable surf music, produced under the swaying palm trees of Nashville's vast white-sand beaches. About what you'd expect. The album kicks off with a version of Lee Hazelwood's "Surfin' Hootenanny," where the a perky beach-bunny chorus shouts out "Dick Dale!" before one of the guitar solos, even though I don't think Dick Dale was anywhere near the Mercury studios that day. Most of the songs are credited to Jerry Kennedy and Shelby Single's wife, Margie Singleton, who was part of his "Merry Melody Singers" studio chorus, though also a notable solo vocalist in her own right. Pretty goofy, but not that far out of line with the mainstream surf sound of the time.
Jerry Kennedy "Guitars & Strings Play The Golden Standards" (Smash Records, 1963) (LP)
Aiming straight for an easy listening pop market, Kennedy wafts through a set of true chestnuts -- "Autumn Leaves," "Canadian Sunset," "Just Out Of Reach," "The Wayward Wind" -- real goop! This also came out under the title Guitars And Strings Play In Twilight Time, though with a completely different track sequence.
Jerry Kennedy "From Nashville To Soulville" (Smash Records, 1965) (LP)
(Produced by Jerry Kennedy)
Groovy, man! I mean, no... really! Jerry Kennedy really gets into it on this surprisingly funky set, tapping into the Stax and Muscle Shoals vibe of the times, framing his bluesy electric picking inside of crisp, tightly constructed soul-meets-pop arrangements. Wish I knew who was backing him here, but alas the liner notes are of no help.
Jerry Kennedy "...Plays With All Due Respect To Kris Kristofferson" (Mercury Records, 1971) (LP)
(Produced by Jerry Kennedy, Larry Rogers & Tom Sparkman)
A super-duper set of Nashville A-listers tackle the hip-and-current hits of newcomer Kris Kristofferson. The lineup includes Jerry Kennedy on lead guitar (naturally) along with drummer Jerry Carrigan, pedal steel wizard Pete Drake, Charlie McCoy on bass, Farrell Morris (percussion), Hargus Robbins (piano), George Tidwell (trumpet) and Chip Young on rhythm guitar. There's also a big vocal chorus with some interesting members: Ginger Holladay, her sister Mary Holladay, Ricky Page, Trish Williams, gals who had been singing backup in Nashville for most of the 'Sixties in various groups such as The Holladay Sisters or the Lea Jane Singers. (This particular group seems to have been a version of the Nashville Edition, also including Dolores Edgin, and male vocalists Hurshel Wiginton and Obrey Wilson, as well as some gals who sang in Elvis Presley's road show... Lotta back-story here!)
Jerry Kennedy "...And Friends" (Mercury Records, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Beckham & Tom Sparkman)
An all-star guest-fest, with performances by Owen Bradley, Pete Drake, Lloyd Green, Tom T. Hall, Mickey Newbury, Johnny Rodriguez, the Statler Brothers and others...
Guitar picker Jerry Kennedy started his recording career as a preteen in the early 1950s, playing hillbilly music and rock'n'roll under the name Jerry Glenn. Originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, he learned guitar from hillbilly star Tillman Franks, and was signed to RCA Victor back around 1951: Kennedy was jamming in the studio with Chet Atkins when he was just a kid. Eventually he moved to Nashville, working first as an in-demand session player, then as a producer, and ultimately became the head of country's Mercury-Smash label.
