Joyce Kennedy (singer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joyce Kennedy
Kennedy in 2008
Background information
Born	1948 (age 76–77) Anguilla, Mississippi
Origin	Chicago, Illinois
Genres	Pop rock, R&B
Associated acts	Mother's Finest, Andre Williams

Joyce "Baby Jean" Kennedy (born in 1948) is an American singer. She grew up in Chicago.

Joyce Kennedy's Early Life and Music

Joyce Kennedy was born in Anguilla, Mississippi, in 1948. Her grandparents were Masons. This meant her family owned land and grew their own food. This helped them avoid some of the tough times of that era. Joyce enjoyed her family's company in Mississippi.

Music was always a big part of the Kennedy home. Joyce remembered her grandmother playing piano and singing. Her cousins would also play instruments by ear.

When Joyce was seven, her grandfather passed away. She then moved to Chicago with her mother. This is where her singing career began.

Starting Her Singing Career

In 1963, Joyce released her first song. It was called Darling I Still Love You. Andre Williams helped her record it for Ran-Dee Records. The song became a hit in the local area. This success made her want to become a full-time singer.

Mother's Finest: A Unique Rock Band

Joyce Kennedy met Glenn Murdock. He was a singer from a band called The Vondells. They started performing as a duo and later got married. Joyce and Glenn then formed a band called Mother's Finest. Many people think they were the first black rock band. They added Gary Moore on guitar and Jerry Seay on bass.

Mother's Finest first signed with RCA. Later, they moved to Epic Records. Three of their albums became very popular, selling enough copies to be certified gold.

Touring with Famous Bands

Mother's Finest opened concerts for many huge bands. These included Ted Nugent, Black Sabbath, The Who, Aerosmith, and AC/DC. The band later signed with Atlantic Records. After their 1981 album Iron Age, they took a break. During this time, Joyce worked on her own music.

The band got back together in 1989. They released the album Looks Could Kill. Joyce and Glenn's son, Dion, became the new drummer. He took over from Barry Borden, the original drummer. Mother's Finest kept making music and touring in the 1990s. They mostly performed in Europe.

Mother's Finest Music Style

Mother's Finest had a special sound. In songs like Baby Love, they used sounds from black gospel. It had a choir-like feel. They also used a "call-and-response" style. Joyce would sing, and her backup singers would respond. They also used synthesizers for a more modern sound.

The band found it hard to connect with black fans in America. Because of this, they toured more in Europe. They felt Europe was more open to their unique style. Their album Black Radio Won't Play This Record showed this challenge. The album's name itself highlighted their struggle.

Touring the World

Mother's Finest was known for their exciting live shows. Their music was also very new and different. This helped them become successful and tour all over the world.

People often said Mother's Finest was "a very tough act to follow on stage." This meant their shows were so good, it was hard for the next band to be as exciting. This was true even for famous bands like Santana or Earth, Wind & Fire.

Mother's Finest tours in Europe often. European audiences are usually more open to bands that mix different music styles and cultures. They played at famous concerts like Rockpalast in 1978 and 2016. They even signed a record deal with a German music company, Steamhammer.

Joyce Kennedy's Solo Career

Andre Williams was Joyce Kennedy's mentor. He helped produce most of her early songs. These were for different record companies. Her first local hit, Darling I Still Love You, came out in 1963. This song started her singing career.

She released another song, Can't Take a Chance, but it wasn't as successful. Then she released Paddle My Own Canoe. Her second local hit was I'm a Good Girl. Andre Williams continued to help her write and produce. While performing in Chicago, she met Glenn Murdock. They later married and formed Mother's Finest.

Solo Music and Touring

In 1984, Mother's Finest took a break. Joyce Kennedy signed with A&M Records. She released her first solo song with them, Lookin' for Trouble. She also released Stronger Than Before. Joyce said the record company wanted her music to appeal to a mostly black audience.

In 2017, Joyce went on a "farewell" tour with Mother's Finest. She said she would stop touring with the band. However, Joyce Kennedy still tours with Mother's Finest regularly. She plans to go on a 50-year anniversary tour in 2020.

Joyce Kennedy has a son named Dion. He grew up surrounded by the rock 'n' roll lifestyle.