Mother Kelly - Tommy Keith Jenkins
Tommy Keith Jenkins
Tommy Keith Jenkins - lead vocals, harmonica, guitar.
Originally from Houston, Tommy migrated to Oklahoma at an early age. Playing
with numerous bands over the years, he has extensive work with Mark and Gene in
bands such as Chilly Willy, Crash, Powerhouse, Ezra, and Ash.
Born: Houston, Texas; more than twenty years ago.
FIRST INTEREST IN MUSIC: Hot summer night in Houston
when I was about 5 or 6 years old, when all of a sudden I heard Nat King Cole
singing “Mona Lisa” I was blown away! My dad also played some of his collection
of Dean Martin, Johnny Mathis and Frank Sinatra records.....I wanted to be like
those guys.....Still do! Then Elvis happened; next came the Beatles on the Ed
Sullivan Show; followed by the Rolling Stones and the Beach Boys. It was on!
Music and Sports were all I had as my security blanket, and I threw myself into
both worlds! I was singing in rock and roll bands and playing sports all through
Jr. High and High School. I was scouted by OSU as an infielder (2nd and 3rd
Base) during my Senior year in High School, but my coach told them I was a
discipline problem (true that). To this day I still work out and jog regularly
and coach boxing while studying Karate. Music is the greatest love of my life
and always will be; as Buckcherry says “It fills a f_ _ _ _ing hole inside of
me”!
FIRST CHANCE TO PERFORM: Third grade: I sang - I’m an
old cowhand from the Rio Grande in a program about the west and cowboy an Indian
stuff; couldn’t see anyone but I heard people applauding which was cool.
FIRST GIG: I was 14 with a three piece band behind me
and pretty damn good musicians for that young. Guitar player’s Dad owned a club.
We all got a free steak dinner, 3 or 4 bourbon and cokes, twenty bucks
each.....I had arrived!! We were covering for the
Beatles, James Gang, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and even James Brown songs at
that time.
CRASH AND BURN: Sang with many bands for about 22 years from 13 to 35 all
over Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas. By this time all 3 members from my 1st band
(age14) has all died from drug and alcohol related deaths. I had literally been
party in crazy on that “Hell bound Train” to kill the pain and ended up a sick
and twisted mess. Gave up music life for many years to concentrate on staying
alive. Got my life and family back. Made new friends and found old ones again.
Started feeling the “Need to bleed” on stage again. Me and Mark S. found Fred M.
and started auditioning other musicians. It was May of 2007.
BIRTH OF MOTHER KELLY: Finally found the right guys and
Mother Kelly was born in the barn at my mom’s farm. After a few gigs with Fred,
Mark, Gene and Me we added Chuck to the band and Good God we’re having some fun
now!
LET'S GET BUSY: We all try to push each other pretty
hard because the really good gigs are few and far between and there are so many
bands out there competing for them. I love doing this but it really is an
awesome amount of work! I really love the people who come to our gig’s to
support us and please continue to keep coming!
MAGIC MEN: I want to take this opportunity to show some
love to our Sound Engineering Crew, Bill Anthony, Keke Johnson and Jimmy
Stevens; without the “Three Amigos” were just another group of egomaniacs with
inferiority complexes looking for fun in all the wrong places.....
Peace,
Tommy J.
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