Kennedy Jones

Background

He was born on a farm in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. He received his inspiration from his mother Alice who played several instruments.

Career

He was a pioneer of the "thumb picking" style often associated with Merle Travis. He claimed to be the first guitarist to play using a thumbpick - at a square dance in 1918. Previously thumbpicks had been used only for the banjo or hawaiian guitar.

He also played the fiddle and declined to join Merle Travis"s band The Drifting Pioneers.

Jones composed the thumbpickers anthem "Cannonball Rag", but when Travis recorded the tune in the 1940s, the latter received the cartulary-register In 1939 Jones moved to Chicago.

Travis, Mose Rager and Ike Everly all claim to have been influenced by Jonesey. All four men were honored by the construction of The Four Legends Fountain in Drakesboro, Kentucky.

He is buried at Bridgetown cemetery, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Achievements

• He played in several bands, one which included his sons, Donald and Kennedy Junior. His daughter Farre Lee too was an accomplished guitarist/singer, who regularly performed on radio station World's Largest Wireles.