Connect with us

ATV Today

EyeSpy: Remembering Kenny Ball

EyeSpy: Remembering Kenny Ball

Kenny Ball at the BBCKenny Ball, a regular personality on British television in the sixties and seventies has died aged 82, a day before he was due to take to the stage in a concert in Lincolnshire.

Kenny’s career began in music as a semi-professional trumpet player for several bands while also working as a salesman. In 1958 he formed his own jazz band, and soon television appearances followed.

During the sixties Ball and his Jazz Men had several chart hits including Samantha, Midnight in Moscow and March of the Siamese Children. Ball signed with one-time ATV sister company Pye Records, this lead to further television exposure on shows such as Sunday Night at the London Palladium, The Golden Shot and All That Jazz. He also became a regular on the Morecambe and Wise Show during their height at the BBC.

ATV Archive: Kenny Ball at ATV2013 was the 50th anniversary year for Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen, having enjoyed one of the longest unbroken spells of performing for bands of their generation. He once said that the peak of his career was when he and the Jazzmen played at the reception for the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana.

Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen (pictured for All That Jazz at ATV, left) were scheduled to appear in concert on Friday, March 8th, 2013 at Meres Leisure Centre, Grantham in Lincolnshire. The band also had a full schedule of dates through to November as well as Kenny due to appear at the Parliamentary 2013 Awards at Westminster in May.

We celebrate Kenny in our EyeSpy with his appearance, and a live performance, on the Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show of 1969 where he performs So Do I with some friendly audience participation.

Kenneth Daniel Ball 22nd May 1930 –  7th March 2013

Continue Reading
Advertisement

More in

To Top