Eric Kennedy

Biography

A Baltimore, Maryland native, Eric Kennedy is a drummer, vocalist, percussionist, educator, arranger and composer. He started performing at the age of three with a family band and encouraged by visiting local and national musicians. 



Eric has performed, toured, and recorded with Curtis Fuller, Jimmy Heath, Gary Bartz, Phil Woods, Billy Harper, Curtis Lundy, Bobby Watson, Gary Thomas, Fred Wesley, Wallace Roney, Cyrus Chestnut, Ethel Ennis, Larry Willis, Cecil McBee, Donald Harrison, Joe Locke, TK Blue, John Hicks, Richard Wyands, Yusef Salim, Eddie Henderson, Joe Bonner, Carl Grubbs, David Murray, Oliver Lake, Pansori master Ahn Sook Sun and many others. He is a bandleader and a member of several ensembles. He also had the honor of being the last drummer/vocalist of the National Heritage Award Winners, The Holmes Brothers.

Eric has studied percussion with Dennis Kennedy, John Locke, Leroy Williams, Johnny Polite, Billy Hart and Jamal Wilson; voice with Timmy Shepherd, Odell Wilson and Dr. Nathan Carter; and music education/composition with Dr. Barry Harris and Bobby Watson.

Eric has given masterclasses, clinics, workshops, concerts and lessons worldwide. He taught in the Baltimore City Public School system, Peabody Conservatory of Music Jazz Department and the Baltimore Symphony Orchkids program at Booker T. Washington Middle School (2014-2023). He is a jazz voice and drum set instructor. He also teaches Jazz Combo, Jazz Vocal Ensemble, Latin Jazz  and Pop Combo at Towson University Music Department (2020-present).

Eric has received numerous awards and grants for performance and composition. He was the 2004 runner-up in the Billie Holiday Vocal Competition and first-place band member in the Chick Webb Jazz Combo Competitions 2008 and 2009.. He is also the co-score composer for the award-winning documentary Footprints of Pan Africanism indie film The Big Muddy. Eric also won the Jazz Journalists Association of America 2023 award for Baltimore Jazz Hero.