Gary Kendall

Main Instrument

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About Gary Kendall

Gary Kendall (bassist, producer, songwriter, band leader) When you close your eyes and think of your favorite bass players, you`ll be hard pressed to come up with the names of a lot of them. That`s because the best ones are largely invisible. Bassists control each songs groove, setting the foundation around which everyone else takes their cue. Marrying rhythm to harmony, the bassist-if he`s any good-becomes the bands pulse, keeping perfect time while setting up the other instruments to rise to the occasion.Gary Kendall is one of the great bass players. Everything happens around him and without him something is usually missing. Not concerned with showboating, Gary`s the backline, keeping the low in the low end, a master timekeeper, key enabler and consummate team player.Born in Fort William, Ontario, now part of Thunder Bay and making his home in Toronto since 1968, he`s been holding down the bottom end for over 40 years-a working musician since the mid-sixties. Best known as a longtime member of Downchild, 1979-1983 and 1995 to the present, he`s also associated wtih The Kendall Wall Blues Band, The Mighty Duck Blues Band, Robin Banks, The Hogtwon Allstars and The Swingin Blackjacks.Along the way Kendall`s been recognized for his prowess, voted Bassist of The Year eight times at The Maple Blues Awards and receiving The Blues With A Feeling Award. His hometown of Thunder Bay presented him with The Thunder Blues Award in 2002 for bringing that cities musical heritage to the world. At that ceremony The Thunder Bay Blues Society presented him with the “Keeping The Blues Alive” award. As a Downchild member he has shared two Maple Blues Awards for Recording of the Year, a Maple Blues Award for Entertainer of The year, a Juno Award and a Jazz Report Award. Gary Kendall`s ongoing role as the musical director of The Maple Blues Awards since 1999 has resulted in the creation of one of the country’s biggest, baddest bands, The Maple Blues Band. Eight powerful players providing the musical landscape for the awards show and accompanying a long list of special guests..When not performing with Downchild, or one of his many side projects, he can be found collaborating with independent blues promoters in event presentation, volunteering with The Toronto Blues Society’s Board of Directors and producing and/or playing on any one of countless recording projects.These many musical roles have earned him the friendship and respect of musicians everywhere and the ongoing praise of music lovers around the world. If it`s blues and Kendall`s not involved, it`s probably not good blues. Ask anybody, he`s the guy you call to get it done-and you know it`ll be done just right.-Eric Thom