Few Gospel musicians can be described as global, authentic, versatile, inclusive and impactful. Dr Ron Kenoly fits all these and much more. He deeply influenced me in songwriting, music arrangement, studio and live productions, concert delivery, worship leading, lyrical intentionality and genre versatility. While I could write tonnes on each of the above, allow me to single out three big influences by Dr Kenoly on my music production and journey in general.
Dr Kenoly’s generous display of genre versability, ranging from his Latino sounds in “Lift Him Up” and “Ancient of Days” to Reggae vibes such as those in “Winnerman”, to RnB hits like “Beauty for Ashes”, to AfroJazz reminiscent of Hugh Masekela in “Sing Out”, all the way to the quiet melancholic choral arrangements of worship balads like “Anointing Fall on Me” and the sequel “Hallowed Be Thy Name.”
Getting to interact with this versatility was a great blessing to me at a time when the Kenyan Church had become so critical of my multi-genre productions. I was castigated for including Reggae on my 1987 and 1989 recordings and for using strong Afro-beats on the production of my friend, Douglas Jiveti’s, album. Together with Isaiah Symekher of the IFC Jericho Choir, we were seen as contaminating the purity of Church music. Dr Kenoly’s music gave me the courage to keep stretching the stylistic rubber band, which I had mainly drawn from my pop music days.
Every time I see young people use this versatility, and the more I see the African Church embrace divergent genres in worship and other forms of liturgy, I reflect on the price some of us paid to prove that styles are neutral avenues of expression. I'm grateful to people like Kenoly for spreading such versatility, making him a global Gospel sensation. Ron Kenoly’s versatility in music was huge, incorporating children, as seen with Uganda’s Watoto Choir in "The Lord Be Magnified" from the Sing Out album.
Secondly, if there is anything legendary I could claim as musical inheritance from Ron Kenoly, it would be the identification of skilled Christian musicians and involving them in my studio and stage productions. We shared the belief that God deserves the best and that included musical talent.
Watching Dr Kenoly involve the bass skills of legendary Abraham Laboriel Sr, drummer Chester Thompson, percussionist Alex Acuna and woodwinds Justo Almario, guitarist Marty Walsh, Electronic keyboards by Tom Brooks, and a whole array of musicians on the brass section, not to mention the excellent vocalists and huge choir, inspired me to start involving diverse talents.
When I come across good talent, I want it for my productions. Sometimes it is extremely costly to hire such talent. When recording my “Never Alone” album in Goshen, Indiana, back in 2001, this commitment led me to spend money I had never spent before at a studio. I still remember paying for a harmonica player to do only four notes for me. The fiddler flew in to lay on just a couple of tracks.
Back in Kenya, I have worked with some of the best saxophone players, drummers, lead guitarists and vocalists. Besides Maranatha, it is Ron Kenoly who inspired me to do large choral arrangements.
In 2002, I hired the best camera crew in Nairobi at the time to shoot our Ombi Langu album, and 14 years later, I recorded “Worship at the Tent” at CITAM Eldoret, where I spared nothing in band and videographic productions. At a time when musicians were content with music videos, I decided to do a full-blown concert recording. It is so exciting to see this legacy of Gospel music productions stretch to excellent live bands in the Church today.
Thirdly, Dr Kenoly inspired me towards a deeper intimacy with God as the foundation for authenticity in worship recordings and performances. I learned that you cannot go wrong if you are real to the point of telling your own story in musical productions. After all, isn’t this what John 4:23-24 is all about in stating that God is looking for those who worship Him in Spirit and in truth? Such authenticity makes it easy to fit with other musicians but also who they are culturally. This motif is best carried in “Ancient of Days,” which beautifully captures the concept of global worship as inspired by Revelation 7:9.
May Dr Kenoly rest in eternal joy and bliss as a servant who has fought the good fight and finished the race. As John the Revelator says in 14:13, blessed are the dead who die in the Lord … they rest from their labours for their deeds will follow them.
