Kevin Kinsella is a

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...

and

roots rock Roots rock is a genre of rock music that looks back to rock's origins in contemporary folk music, folk, blues, and country music. First emerging in the late 1960s, it is seen as a response to the perceived excesses of the then dominant psychedel ...

musician who has participated in 28

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

s since 1987. He is a founding member of

John Brown's Body "John Brown's Body" ( Roud 771), originally known as "John Brown's Song", is a United States marching song about the abolitionist John Brown. The song was popular in the Union during the American Civil War. The song arose out of the folk hymn ...

and 10 Foot Ganja Plant. He lives in

Ithaca, New York Ithaca () is a city in and the county seat of Tompkins County, New York, United States. Situated on the southern shore of Cayuga Lake in the Finger Lakes region of New York (state), New York, Ithaca is the largest community in the Ithaca metrop ...

. He has been noted as one of the pioneers of the American reggae scene and has been called "Father of East Coast Reggae".

History

In 1987 Kevin Kinsella founded the band Tribulations when he was just 15 years old in Ithaca, NY. Kevin and his childhood friend Josh Newman headed the band. The band gained regional notoriety in the northeast and opened for

Toots and the Maytals The Maytals, known from 1972 to 2020 as Toots and the Maytals, are a Jamaican musical group, one of the best known ska and rocksteady vocal groups. The Maytals were formed in the early 1960s and were key figures in popularizing reggae music. ...

. In 1995 Kevin Kinsella founded the reggae band John Brown's Body During this time period Kevin released their first album "All Time" (1996) on Kevin's label I Town Records. They also recorded "Among Them" (1998), This Day (2000), and "Spirits All Around Us (2002). Kevin Kinsella also released two acoustic styled albums as solo releases "I-Town Revival" (2000) and "Firestick (2002). In 2006 Kevin Kinsella left John Brown's Body on good terms to pursue his solo career and to continue to record with 10 Ft. Ganja Plant. In 2011 Kevin released his 3rd solo album titled "Great Design, followed by "Riding Higher Still" in 2014. In 2015 Kevin played a string of dates with

Matisyahu Matthew Paul Miller (born June 30, 1979), known by his stage name Matisyahu (; ), is an American singer, rapper, beatboxer, and musician. Known for blending spiritual themes with reggae, rock and hip hop beatboxing sounds, Matisyahu's 2005 sin ...

with Matiyahu's band Dub Trio as his backing band. In 2017 Kevin helped organize and curate the talent for the inaugural Ithaca Reggae Festival at Stewart Park in

Musical Influences

Some of Kevin Kinsella's influences include

The Meditations The Meditations are a spiritual, conscious roots reggae vocal harmony group from Jamaica formed in late 1974, who have released several studio albums and are still performing in the 2000s and today. History The Meditations were formed in 1974 ...

and The Gladiators. In 2018 Kevin Kinsella played with his idol

Clinton Fearon Clinton Anthony Fearon (born January 13, 1951) is a Jamaican reggae singer and musician. He has lived in Seattle, Washington since 1987. Career Jamaica Clinton Fearon was born near Kingston, and quickly moved to St. Catherine, a rural Jamaica ...

at the Ithaca Reggae Festival in Ithaca, NY.

Discography

Collaborations

*Kevin Kinsella & Ti Ti Chickapea ''Firestick'' (2002) -- feat.

Hank Roberts Hank Roberts (born March 24, 1954, Terre Haute, Indiana) is an American jazz cellist and vocalist. He plays the electric cello, and his style is a mixture of rock, jazz, avant-garde, folk, and classical influences. He emerged with the downtown Ne ...

, Richie Stearns and Eric Aceto *Gregory Stephens and Kevin Kinsella ''AM Gold'' (2018)

Solo

*Kevin Kinsella "At Imperial Sound, Vol. 1" (2023) *Kevin Kinsella ''Riding Higher Still'' (2014) *Kevin Kinsella ''Great Design'' (2011) *Kevin Kinsella ''I-Town Revival'' (2006)

10 Ft. Ganja Plant

*10 FT. Ganja Plant ''10 Deadly Shots Vol. III'' (2014) *10 FT. Ganja Plant "Skycatcher" (2013) *10 FT. Ganja Plant ''10 Deadly Shots Vol. II'' (2012) *10 FT. Ganja Plant ''Shake Up The Place'' (2011) *10 FT. Ganja Plant ''10 Deadly Shots Vol. I'' (2010) *10 FT. Ganja Plant ''Bush Rock'' (2009) *10 FT. Ganja Plant ''Bass Chalice'' (2005) *10 FT. Ganja Plant ''Midnight Landing'' (2003) *10 FT. Ganja Plant ''Do Right / Top Down'' 45RPM (2003) *10 FT. Ganja Plant ''Hillside Airstrip'' (2001) *10 FT. Ganja Plant ''Politricking Man / Fight Them a Fight'' 45RPM (2001) *10 FT. Ganja Plant ''Presents'' (2000) *10 FT. Ganja Plant ''Good Time Girl / Good News Dub'' 45RPM (2000)

John Brown's Body

*John Brown's Body ''Pressure Points'' (2005) *John Brown's Body ''Spirits All Around Us'' (2002) *Justin Hinds ''Live at Grassroots'' (2002) *John Brown's Body ''This Day'' (2000) *John Brown's Body ''Among Them'' (1998) *John Brown's Body ''All Time'' (1996)

Tribulations

*Tribulations ''Daddy Good Pieces'' (1994) *Tribulations ''The Gate'' (1992) *Tribulations ''Youth Sound Power'' (1991) *Tribulations ''Who Likes Reggae Music'' (1988) *Tribulations ''City / Dancing In The Rain'' 45RPM (1987)

Other activities

Kevin Kinsella founded in 1983 Avalon Ventures, but not this Kevin Kinsella.

External links

Official Kevin Kinsella Website

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kinsella, Kevin Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Place of birth missing (living people) Musicians from Ithaca, New York