TRANSCRIPT:
Hi, I’m Mark Rapp, and this is Rapp on Jazz.
Charleston native George Kenny, born in 1932, may not have been a household name, but his influence ran deep in jazz.
A gifted saxophonist, he played alongside greats like Dizzy Gillespie and Lou Rawls. After graduating from Burke High School, he joined the U.S. Air Force, performing in USO shows during the Korean War. Later, he earned his music degree from South Carolina State University.
Kenny devoted over three decades to music education in Charleston County Schools, mentoring generations of young musicians. He taught at Laing, C.A. Brown, Burke, Courtney, and even the historic Jenkins Orphanage—where he passed on the very jazz traditions that raised him.
George Kenny passed away on February 25, 2025, but his legacy lives on in every student he inspired.
This has been Rapp on Jazz, a co-production of ColaJazz and South Carolina Public Radio, made possible by the ETV Endowment of South Carolina.