Bill Kenny (singer)

William Francis Kenny Jr. (June 12, 1914 – March 23, 1978), known professionally as Bill Kenny, was a pioneering African American tenor vocalist with a wide vocal range spanning four octaves. Often regarded as one of the most influential high-tenor singers of all time, Kenny was noted for his "bell-like" vocal clarity and impeccable diction. Although he is most famous for his role as lead tenor with The Ink Spots, Kenny also led a successful solo career after disbanding The Ink Spots in 1954. Throughout the 1950's and 60's Kenny recorded, toured the world and appeared on many popular variety television shows. In 1966 Kenny became the star and host of his own musical variety show The Bill Kenny Show which aired on CBC . In 1989, 11 years after his death, Bill Kenny was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Kenny is often noted as being the "godfather" of R&B tenor vocalists.