Legenday Pittsburgh Musician Kenny Fisher Passes

[Kevin Amos]

On Friday evening I was informed from Amir Rahied that Kenny Fisher was in ICU and not doing good. On Sunday evening I received a phone call from Sister Imani that our Pittsburgh Jazz legend had joined the ancestors on Saturday.

I have known Mr. Kenny Fisher since I was a teenager and I have always looked to him as well as others as one of our Jazz Messengers. He has NEVER gotten the recognition he deserved but I have always respected and admired him.
He reminded me of other players , but he indeed did have a sound of his own and you knew it was him playing.

As my broadcasting career evolved he always encouraged me. As my Jazz promotion activities increased over the years, he encouraged me. I was even able to book him as a member of the Jazz Workshop Big Band, another group of Pittsburgh "unsung" Jazz heroes.

Being from a musical background I always wanted to sit down and document his musical journey but we were never able to connect the way we wanted to.

He was an elder statesman, an outstanding musician ,a good friend and I'm going to miss him and that smile he would always have.

Below are the arrangements passed on to us from Mr. Fred Logan, a longtime friend of Kenny's.

Take care,
Kevin Amos

Kenny "Fish" FisherViewing and Funeral

Mount Gilead Church740 South Avenue @ MulberryWilkinsburg, PA 15221

Viewing: Sunday, November 1, 2009; 2pm to 6pm

Funeral: Monday, november 2, 2009, 11am

[Marshall McDonald]

I'm very sorry to hear about Kenny's passing, a great player and human being, was always so supportive during good and hard times. He will be missed by me, and many others.

Marshall McDonald

[Carmen Petote]

I met Kenny when we were teaching and playing at the Homewood Workshop on Saturday mornings many years ago. He was an incredibly gentle soul, soft spoken, but very passionate about music. He was the first person to give me lessons on improvising and was always encouraging, never negative. In the last few years, I would bump into him at the Douglas Apartments in Wilkinsburg where my uncle also lived. Always a smile, a handshake and a good word. The world could use so many more like him.
Carmen