Ken (Kenny) Kersey

Kenneth Lyons Kersey (April 3, 1916 – April 1, 1983) was a Canadian jazz pianist who spent most of his life working in the United States.

Birth and Death Data: Born (Harrow (human settlement in Ontario, Canada)), Died April 1, 1983 (New York City (most populous city in the United States) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1939 - 1942

Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, arranger

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia W24245 10-in. 3/21/1939 You're too lovely to last Billie Holiday Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia W24246 10-in. 3/21/1939 Under a blue jungle moon Billie Holiday Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia W24247 10-in. 3/21/1939 Everything happens for the best Billie Holiday Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia W24248 10-in. 3/21/1939 Why did I always depend on you? Billie Holiday Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia W24249 10-in. 3/21/1939 Long gone blues Billie Holiday Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia CO30270 10-in. 4/17/1941 K.K. boogie Ken (Kenny) Kersey ; Red Allen's Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 67292 10-in. 3/12/1940 Elephant swing Franz Jackson and his Jacksonians instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 67293 10-in. 3/12/1940 Boogie woogie camp meeting Franz Jackson and his Jacksonians instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 67294 10-in. 3/12/1940 Summer rhapsody Franz Jackson and his Jacksonians instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 67295 10-in. 3/12/1940 You're the maker of rain in my heart Franz Jackson and his Jacksonians instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 71050 10-in. 7/14/1942 Hey lawdy Mama Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 71051 10-in. 7/14/1942 Boogie woogie cocktail Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, piano, arranger  
Decca 71052 10-in. 7/14/1942 Ride on, ride on Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 71053 10-in. 7/14/1942 Mc Ghee special-2 Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 71239 10-in. 7/31/1942 Worried life blues Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 71240 10-in. 7/31/1942 Take it and git Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 71241 10-in. 7/31/1942 Hip hip hooray Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 71242 10-in. 7/31/1942 Unlucky blues Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, piano  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Kersey, Ken (Kenny)," accessed January 4, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/205363.

Kersey, Ken (Kenny). (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 4, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/205363.

"Kersey, Ken (Kenny)." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 4 January 2026.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/205363

External Sources

Discogs: Ken (Kenny) Kersey

Allmusic: Ken (Kenny) Kersey

Grove: Ken (Kenny) Kersey

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Kersey, Kenny, 1916-1983 - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no93022743

Wikidata: Ken Kersey - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1738971

VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/64193886

MusicBrainz: Ken Kersey - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/95e924f2-1a20-4e27-a464-47023bb2487f

Fast: https://id.worldcat.org/fast/325907 - https://id.worldcat.org/fast/325907

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