When it comes to appreciating Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne it is readily apparent that the artistic make-up of this performer covers an impressive scope of talents and expertise.

It is a rare combination of intertwined, and indeed, well-honed skills that paint the picture of a complete artist and one not so easily defined, despite his “to the point”, and appropriate handle “Blues Boss”.

Wayne became one of the beacons of the Canadian blues scene a couple of decades ago. His smooth yet robust piano playing, and cool and soulful vocals are injected into a canon of original tunes that can take his audience on quite the journey. With Wayne in the driver’s seat, it’s always about preparing for a multi-faceted ride, as the musical terrain can shift quickly thanks to a plethora of influences.

Wayne’s musical journey began with him soaking up the sounds of gospel music, as his dad was a preacher. From there it was into jazz and latin music, before the doors opened to R&B and soul. Living in Los Angeles, long before he would move to Canada, Wayne continued to wade into a variety of sub-genres including swing, bebop, standards and dance music.

“Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne is a monster piano player, imaginative songwriter and soulful singer who captures the essence of old school blues and boogie, while simultaneously sounding totally fresh and contemporary.” quoted by Duke Robillard.

This award winning international piano blues and boogie-woogie artist is on Stony Plain records.

Wayne was born in Spokane, Washington, and raised in New Orleans, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.  He started playing piano at 13 and has been performing for over 50 years.

Over the years he has performed with and shared the stage with a great many of the world’s most influential blues and rock pioneers, including Jimmy Reed, Pinetop Perkins, Johnnie Johnson, Big Joe Duskin, Joe Louis Walker and Floyd Dixon, and as a guest performer with well-known rock and soul artists that have included Ike Turner, members of Sly and the Family Stone, Delaney and Bonnie and members of Santana and the Doobie Brothers. As a touring performer, he has played to knowledgeable and appreciative blues audiences on four continents and has been profiled by music journalists in Europe and North America.  And performed as a guest artist with the Legendary Downchild Blues band at Massey Hall in celebration of their 50 + years of playing the blues.

His many awards include seven Maple Blues Awards (Toronto Blues Society) for ‘piano player of the year’ and three outstanding keyboard awards from Living Blues magazine, in which he was hailed as “an artist bringing the piano back to the front ranks of contemporary Blues.” In 2006 he won a Juno Award for Best Blues Album and was nominated three times afterwards.  In 2017 he was inducted into the Boogie-Woogie Piano Hall of Fame while performing at the Cincy Blues Festival in Cincinnati, Ohio.  2021 Blues Artist of the year from Western Canadian Music Award and the Washington State Virtual Showdown in 2021.  2023 nominated for Pinetop Perkins ‘Piano Player of the Year’ from the Blues Music Award and won the award in 2024!  The Blues Boss has been on many covers of blues magazines worldwide including the Living Blues Magazine 2022 June/July issue.  In 2023, Kenny recently received the prestigious ‘Bobby Blue Bland’ Lifetime Achievement Award from the Jus Blues Foundation in Atlanta, Georgia.  And he also won the 2023 & 2024 Keyboard player of the year award from the Blues Blast Magazine. Now, nominated for Best Traditional Blues band and best recording from the Independent Blues Awards.  Most recently was awarded ‘Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard) 2024 Living Blues Awards Critics’ Poll! Kenny now resides in beautiful Burlington, ON.

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