Kenny O’Quinn is from Elkhorn City in extreme eastern Ky. O’Quinn started playing guitar and drums around the age of 11. His early musical influences include rock guitarists such as Randy Rhodes and Eddie Van Halen. This may explain O’Quinn’s distinctive mandolin style. On the other hand, he states that one of his first musical memories was listening to a Ricky Skaggs album that his father had, on trips to his grandparent’s home in nearby Haysi, Va. Around the age of 12 or 13, Kenny came across a cassette by Elkhorn Grass. Elkhorn Grass was Kevin Prater’s (James King’s mandolin player/tenor singer) first band. He credits this recording with opening the world of bluegrass to him. Throughout high school, Kenny still held on to the Rock and Roll dream, but bluegrass was always on the back burner. Kenny began his professional music career playing with the rock band, Barstool Sarcasm. Soon there after, he returned to his bluegrass roots, taking a job with The Russell Fork Ramblers, led by Paul Blake Clevinger. From this band O’Quinn, along with banjo player James “J.V.” Martin formed Whitewater Grass. O’Quinn credits Martin with “really teaching him bluegrass”. O’Quinn was at Martins house almost every day for about a year. J.V. wasn’t a mandolin player, but he knew what they were suppose to sound like. He would say things like “go up high here, or he would play things on the banjo or guitar and Kenny would try to match it. Martin helped O’Quinn to realize how important staying close to the melody is. Whitewater Grass enjoyed local success and there is where O’Quinn began to gain credibility as a fine mandolin player. After Whitewater Grass, O’Quinn joined The South Mountain Boys, led by Scotty Deel and Danny Hackney, who are well known throughout Southwest Virginia as well as Southern West Virginia, Tennessee and Eastern Kentucky. Most recently O’Quinn has joined The Tommy Webb Band. O’Quinn says, “I thoroughly enjoy playing music with Tommy, He is one of the finest singers in the Business. It’s not a matter of “if” The Tommy Webb Band makes it to the top. It’s a mater of “When” we make it to the top. This band has been blessed with good musicians, good singer, good songs and are now getting to work with Kindred Records and they are doing a super job at getting the band out there to be heard, Life Is Good.”

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