2019 was tough for Kenny and the Killer, but they’re back with a new album
ERIKA GOLDRING/GETTY
For 53 years, Kenny Lovelace has been Jerry Lee Lewis’ right-hand man. Born in Alabama, Lovelace became Lewis’ band leader, guitarist and fiddle player in 1967. He’s accompanied the Killer for every one of his concerts, recording sessions and television appearances ever since.
Soon after you joined Jerry Lee’s band, you played the Toronto Rock’n’Roll Revival in 1969. What do you remember about it?
That was really something else. They had Chuck Berry, John Lennon and Yoko Ono. There were thousands of people there and they were up for it. The highlight for me was playing rock’n’roll fiddle on Mystery Train. Jerry said, ‘Can I borrow your guitar?’ I said, ‘Sure!’ So Jerry played electric guitar. He gave me a solo on the fiddle and I just went for it. I’ve seen some clips and thought, ‘Gol-ly!’ It was rockin’, y’know?
In Toronto, Jerry Lee told the audience that he had just come back from seeing Elvis in Las Vegas. What was that like?