#grahamparker

Kevin Jenkins Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Decades later, as if no time had passed, bassist Kevin Jenkins came to call. I met Kevin in 1986ish, when he was playing with Cyndi Lauper at the height of her fame. He had stopped in to the Rock ’N Roll Cafe, sat in, and graced our small stage. Big man on campus, he was pop-rock royalty. Girl just wanted to have fun, so with my Cafe cohort, Steve Principe, we headed to The Stone Pony to catch Kevin with Cyndi. About a decade later, I’d meet up with Cyndi as Upper Westside mommies… but I digress. Kevin continued to come around and sit in, most notably with my beloved Phoebe Snow and Matt Sorum from Guns & Roses, at the Cafe Wha.

From Tokyo’s Budokan to London’s famous Albert Hall to NYC’s Madison Square Garden - Kevin’s played them all, with the aforementioned Cyndi Lauper, and Enrique Iglesias, Taylor Dayne, Vicki Sue Robinson, Graham Parker, Lamya, Tom Rush, Maxwell, Roberta Flack, Debbie GIbson and, most recently, Grammy® nominated blues queen Shemekia Copeland, who he’s been with 2005. We talked about them all, as well as the music that influenced him, how he got started, how one meeting led to one gig, which led to another. When imbibing started to interfere, Kevin got sober 38 years ago. We discussed that journey, too. We discussed his highlights, opening for Clapton and Michael Jackson, as well as loss, and love. 

Kevin filled us in on his solo efforts, Step Inside and True Groove, as well as his latest, She:  A Tribute to Joni Mitchell, which will be released in November. 

Humble and unpretentious to a fault, it was a delightful stroll down memory lane with loads of new info and great stories along the way. Kevin is just as I remember him, except even better. Wisdom, experience, and a clear mind have added to the mix. Adore the man, love his playing, respect his humanity. 

Kevin Jenkins Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Wednesday, 6/11/25, 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET

Streamed Live on my FB 

Kevin Jenkins Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Wednesday, 6/11/25, 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET

Streamed Live on my FB 

And YouTube 

Today LIVE! I met bassist Kevin Jenkins in 1986ish, when he was playing with Cyndi Lauper at the height of her fame. He had stopped in to the Rock ’N Roll Cafe, sat in, and graced our small stage. Big man on campus, he was pop-rock royalty. Girl just wanted to have fun, so with my Cafe cohort, Steve Principe, we headed to The Stone Pony to catch Kevin with Cyndi. About a decade later, I’d meet up with Cyndi as Upper Westside mommies… but I digress. Kevin continued to come around and sit in, most notably with my beloved Phoebe Snow at the Cafe Wha. 

From Tokyo’s Budokan to London’s famous Albert Hall to NYC’s Madison Square Garden - Kevin’s played them all, with the aforementioned Cyndi Lauper, and Enrique Iglesias, Taylor Dayne, Vicki Sue Robinson, Graham Parker, Lamya, Black 47, Holly Palmer, October Project, Cliff Eberhardt, Tom Rush and, most recently, Grammy® nominated blues queen Shemekia Copeland.  

He’s opened for Michael Jackson, The Police, Eric Clapton, Tina Turner, BB King, and Joe Cocker.  Kevin can be heard on dozens of records: Graham Parker’s Steady Nerves, Cyndi Lauper’s Hat Full of Stars, Black 47’s Home of the Brave, and Cliff Eberhardt’s Long Road, to name a few. 

Most recently, Kevin’s been expanding his horizons by writing his own songs and producing his albums with global soul master Tomás Doncker.  His latest, She:  A Tribute to Joni Mitchell, will be released on November 8.  

Other than some random Facebook drive-bys, I haven’t seen my old friend Kevin in decades. We got some ketching up to do! 

Kevin Jenkins Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Wednesday, 6/11/25, 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET

Streaming Live on my FB 

facebook.com/vickiabelson

& YouTube

December 11, 2012 Graham Parker and the Rumour at the Roxy in West Hollywood, CA #gamparkerandtherumour #roxytheatre #westhollywood #sunsetstrip #christyborgman #onthisday #lawomanphoto

Photo by Christy Borgman