Kenny Malone was in the sect of Nashville legends whose efforts often go unnoticed by the general public. You may not know him by name, but you’ve heard him many times. He was the drummer behind several country mega-hits and played alongside too many legends to list here. He was also known for creating his own distinctive hand drumming technique. Learn more about this unsung hero of country music below.
Kenny Malone: The Session Drummer Behind “Jolene” and “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue”
Born in Denver, Colorado, on August 4, 1938, Malone was known as the drummer who had just the right sound for the song, no matter the occasion. While the average listener might not think much about a rhythm (other than whether it moves them), Malone’s career speaks to the notion that a good percussion part is every bit as important as a chorus or a vocal riff.
Videos by American Songwriter
The session player began his musical career in the Navy. There, he served as director of the percussion department at the Naval School of Music. Fourteen years later, Malone moved to Nashville with the ambition of becoming a session musician. His big break came from Carl Perkins.
From there, his talent took off around Nashville, earning him a diverse range of sessions. That versatility was important to Malone to keep his work as fresh as possible.
“I need versatility and the opportunity to play many different styles,” Malone once said. “In recording, if I’m not careful, I start to feel stale, or I feel that there isn’t much room for expansion and growth.”
“I’ll bang around on everything you know ’cause that’s the fun of it, finding out what type of sound you have,” Malone added elsewhere. “I’ll play paint cans or anything that makes the sound of the record, you know, that makes it match the attitude of the record.”
He was regularly praised for his ability to know exactly what a song needed. One producer recalled how while recording a murder ballad he left to get a cymbal “that had just the right ‘scream’ for the job.”
Malone Worked With the Biggest of Stars
He earned illustrious recording sessions like Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” and Crystal Gayle’s “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue”. He also played with the likes of John Prine, Charley Pride, Alison Krauss, Guy Clark, Kenny Rogers, Ray Charles, Emmylou Harris, and Waylon Jennings. His track record speaks volumes about his talent.
[RELATED: 5 of the Best Country Songs Turning 50 This Year]
Malone’s stellar career came to an end in August of 2021 when he died of health complications. He left behind a string of timeless classics. Revisit his playing in the Parton classic above.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
-
(MANDATORY CREDIT Watal Asanuma/Shinko Music/Getty Images) Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney of Wings perform on stage at Wembley Pool, London on 19th October 1976. (Photo by Watal Asanuma/Shinko Music via Getty Images) -
UNITED STATES – OCTOBER 10: NOKIA THEATER Photo of Randy SCRUGGS, performing live onstage at the benefit for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum (Photo by Ebet Roberts/Redferns) -
NEW YORK – JANUARY 6: Rock and roll musician Elvis Presley performs on stage with his back up singers The Jordanaires on the Ed Sullivan Show on January 6, 1957 in New York City, New York. On the left are Jordanaires Neal Matthews Jr (1929 – 2000, far left) and Gordon Stoker (1925 – 2013). (Photo by Steve Oroz/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) -
ATLANTA, GA – FEBRUARY 20: (EDITORS NOTE: Image has digital treatments) Jerry Douglas, Jeff White, Johnny Warren and Shawn Camp of Earls of Leicester perform at City Winery on February 20, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by R. Diamond/Getty Images) -
George Strait at the 21st Annual Academy of Country Music Awards April 14, 1986 (Photo by Ralph Dominguez/MediaPunch via Getty Images) -
LONDON, UK – Don Felder, Bernie Leadon of US band the Eagles perform at Wembley Stadium 'Mid Summer Festival' in London, UK, 21st June 1975. (Photo by Watal Asanuma/Shinko Music/Getty Images) -
NASHVILLE – CIRCA 1963: Country songwriter and singer Hank Cochran poses for a portrait circa 1963 in Nashville City, Tennesee. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
