TRANSCRIPT:
I’m Mark Rapp, and this is Rapp on Jazz.
Kipling Taquana "Kip" Anderson was one of South Carolina’s most soulful and resilient musical voices. Born in Starr around 1938, he first sang in church and was discovered early on by gospel great Edna Cooke.
Anderson recorded for both small regional labels and major companies, while also shaping the airwaves as a popular disc jockey in Columbia and later Fayetteville.
His life took a dramatic turn in the mid-1970s when he served a ten-year sentence at Central Correctional Institution, where he formed a gospel quartet behind bars. After his release, Anderson rebuilt his career—returning to radio and becoming vice president of Electric City Records.
His career reflects the resilience that defines South Carolina’s jazz legacy.
This has been Rapp on Jazz—a co-production of ColaJazz and SC Public Radio, made possible by The ETV Endowment of South Carolina