beverly kenney/for all we know (1958)

Beverly Kenney (January 29, 1932, Harrison, New Jersey - April 13, 1960, New York City) was an American jazz singer.

After moving to New York City, she recorded a demo in 1954 with Tony Tamburello. By the end of the year she had moved to Miami, where she landed a recurring engagement at the Black Magic Room. Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey heard her and took her on tour in the orchestra they co-led; she worked with them for several months before breaking off to move back to New York.

Upon her return, she worked in clubs with George Shearing, Don Elliott, and Kai Winding; After a short tour of the Midwest with Larry Sonn, she signed to Roost Records and released her first album in 1956. Her second release, Come Swing with Me, saw her working with Ralph Burns, and Jimmy Jones led an ensemble behind her for her third and final release for Roost in 1957. Moving to Decca Records, she released three further LPs between 1958 and 1960.

Kenney was a critically acclaimed musician, but she saw little widespread acceptance. On April 13, 1960, Kenney committed suicide. She was 28. Kenney has been more or less forgotten in the United States, but remains a cult figure in Japan.