Born Kevin Yates McKendree,[3] in Nuremberg, Germany,[2] he is a self-taught pianist and guitarist, initially utilizing the playing of Little Richard, Ray Charles and B.B.
When he was 17, he became a professional musician and worked around the Washington, D.C. area playing alongside Big Joe Maher, Tom Principato, Bob Margolin and Mark Wenner.
[5] Also McKendree worked in the recording studio backing a diverse array of musicians including Anson Funderburgh and Seven Mary Three (The Economy of Sound, Orange Ave.), as well as issuing his debut solo album Miss Laura's Kitchen in 2000.
He worked with Brian Setzer, John Oates, T. Graham Brown, Tinsley Ellis, The Knockouts, Hal Ketchum, and George Thorogood (2120 South Michigan Ave.) amongst many others.
[5] His work with Tinsley Ellis has had him playing on, and occasionally producing, several of Ellis' albums, including Fire It Up, Kingpin, Hell or High Water, Moment of Truth, Speak No Evil, The Hard Way, Speak No Evil, Get It!, Midnight Blue, Tough Love, Red Clay Soul, Winning Hand, Ice Cream in Hell, and Devil May Care.