Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne

{{Infobox musical artist

|name = Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne

|image = Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne (44578259724) (cropped).jpg

|caption = Wayne at the Richmond Folk Festival in 2018

|image_size =

|background = solo_singer

|birth_name = Kenneth Wayne Spruell

|alias =

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1944|11|13}}

|birth_place = Spokane, Washington, United States

|death_date =

|origin =

|instrument = Piano, vocals

|genre = Blues, boogie-woogie, jazz

|occupation = Pianist, singer, songwriter

|years_active = 1962–present

|label = Various

|website = {{URL|http://www.kennybluesboss.com/|Official website}}

}}

Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne (born Kenneth Wayne Spruell,{{cite web |author= |url=http://www.hotburrito.nl/ency/blues/kennywayne.html |title=Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne at Hotburrito's Bluesencyclopedia |website=Hotburrito.nl |date= |access-date=2014-01-26 |archive-date=2012-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303090951/http://www.hotburrito.nl/ency/blues/kennywayne.html |url-status=dead }} November 13, 1944) is an American blues, boogie-woogie and jazz pianist, singer and songwriter. Music journalist, Jeff Johnson, writing in the Chicago Sun-Times stated, "There's no boogie-woogie-blues piano man out there today who pounds the 88's with the conviction of Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne."

Biography

Wayne was born in 1944 in Spokane, Washington,{{Cite web |last=Thompson |first=Mark |date=2023-11-13 |title=Featured Interview – Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne |url=https://www.bluesblastmagazine.com/featured-interview-kenny-blues-boss-wayne-2/ |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=Blues Blast Magazine |language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne |url=https://www.penderharbourbluesfestival.com/kenny-blues-boss-wayne/ |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=Pender Harbour Blues Festival |language=en-US}} but he relocated with his family to San Francisco, California at an early age.{{cite web|author=Linda Seida |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/kenny-blues-boss-wayne-mn0000598239/biography |title=Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne | Biography |publisher=AllMusic |date= |access-date=2014-01-26}} His parents alternatively advised for and against the blues, but his mother's influence led Wayne to be influenced early by Nat King Cole, Little Willie John, and Fats Domino. The family moved in turn to New Orleans, Los Angeles and Compton, California.{{cite web|url=http://www.reginablues.ca/mp3s_festival/Kenny_Blues_Boss_Wayne/Kenny_Blues_Boss_Wayne.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706202149/http://www.reginablues.ca/mp3s_festival/Kenny_Blues_Boss_Wayne/Kenny_Blues_Boss_Wayne.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 July 2011|title=Kenny Blues Boss Wayne|date=6 July 2011|access-date=28 June 2018}} While he was growing up, Wayne drew further inspiration from The Three Sounds, George Shearing, Erroll Garner, Cal Tjader, Mongo Santamaría, Ray Charles, Charles Brown, Floyd Dixon, Big Joe Turner, and Jimmy Reed.

Based in Los Angeles during the 1960s and 1970s, Wayne was utilised as a sideman by various pop and rock musicians. In the 1980s Wayne relocated again to Vancouver, British Columbia. "Blues Boss" (his nickname was acquired from the title of Amos Milburn's comeback album with Motown Records) undertook a tour of Europe in 1994. Wayne dedicated his debut album to his parents, and 2002 heralded the issue of 88th & Jump Street, followed by Blues Carry Me Home (2003) and Let It Loose (2005).

His festival appearances have included Edmonton's Labatt Blues Festival (2004), Koktebel Jazz Festival (2006), Southside Shuffle in Port Credit, Ontario (2015), and the Montreal Jazz Festival (2023).

In May 2008, Wayne issued his album, Can't Stop Now.{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/cant-stop-now-mw0000785054 |title=Can't Stop Now - Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |publisher=AllMusic |date=2008-05-20 |access-date=2014-01-26}} Wayne's release, Rollin' with the Blues Boss (2014), included guest contributions from Diunna Greenleaf and Eric Bibb.{{cite web|author=Steve Leggett |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/rollin-with-the-blues-boss-mw0002629844 |title=Rollin' with the Blues Boss - Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |publisher=AllMusic |date=2014-04-22 |access-date=2014-05-16}} Wayne's 2016 release, Jumpin' & Boppin' featured guitarist Duke Robillard.

Juno Awards

Nominated in 1997 for 'Best Blues/Gospel Album,' and in 1999 and 2003 for 'Best Blues Album,' Wayne was presented with a Juno Award in 2006 for Let It Loose.

Discography

=Solo=

Alive & Lose (1995) - Blue Roots
Blues Boss Boogie (1998) - Real Blues
88th & Jump Street (2002) - Electro-Fi
Blues Carry Me Home (2002) - Isabel
Let It Loose (2005) - Electro Fi
Can't Stop Now (2008) - Electro-Fi
An Old Rock on a Roll (2011) - Stony Plain
Rollin' with the Blues Boss (2014) - Stony Plain
Jumpin' & Boppin' (2016) - Stony Plain
Inspired By The Blues (2018) - Stony Plain
Go, Just Do It! (2020) - Stony Plain{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/kenny-blues-boss-wayne-mn0000598239/discography|title=Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne | Album Discography|website=AllMusic|access-date=25 May 2021}}

=Compilations=

Electro-Fi records presents Piano-Rama (2010) - Electro-Fi
Big City Back Country Blues (2017) - Brandon Isaak Music{{cite web|url=https://kennybluesboss.com/discography/|title=Discography - Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne|website=Kennybluesboss.com|access-date=28 June 2018}}

=Compilation inclusions=

Saturday Night Blues: 20 Years (2006) - CBCA compilation album of live performances from the Saturday Night Blues radio program on CBC Radio, hosted by Holger Petersen. Wayne's "Blackberry Wine", originally recorded for Let It Loose, is included.