Kenny Ingram, 19 Aug. 1952-26 July 2020

Thanks to Richard Thompson for sending the sad news that Kenny Ingram (left), one of the most experienced and respected banjo players in bluegrass music, died yesterday after suffering a massive stroke. A biographical feature by John Lawless, including three performance videos, is on Bluegrass Today. Messages of regret and condolence are appearing on Banjo Hangout.

The CV of 'Big K' included playing banjo for Lester Flatt, Jimmy Martin, Rhonda Vincent, and Larry Stephenson. The Dec. 2009 issue of Banjo News Letter included two features relating to him: an interview by Ian Perry, and an interview with Will Williams by Mitch Finley. Will Williams is the luthier who built twenty-five Kenny Ingram model banjos (a further banjo was assembled from parts by Greg Boyd). For banjo nerds, pages of correspondence about Kenny Ingram's banjos appeared on Banjo Hangout in 2011. 

Ian Perry wrote in 2009: '[...] while there are countless players who have reached an incredible level of virtuosity on the banjo, it seems fair to say that only a handful have really captured the subtle nuances of Earl’s sound. If you asked ten pickers, you would probably get ten different lists of the players they thought had truly learned to "play it like Earl", but one name sure to show up on every list is Kenny Ingram.'