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Billy Kuhn Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania United States: Share

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Billy Kuhn and Kim Hall are now friends

May 4

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April 4

Jerry Butler left a comment for Billy Kuhn

February 27

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Profile Information

Pittsburgh Connection

I've lived, studied, taught and performed in Pittsburgh all my life. I began playing professionally in 1968.

Favorite Pittsburgh musicians/performers

There are too many to mention, and if I forgot someone, I'd feel bad that I left them out! If you know the history of Pittsburgh jazz, you know this is true.

Favorite Jazz Radio or media station

WHAM from Rochester, NY, with Harry Abrams, long since gone. I recall late late nights, driving to Mt. Washington just to pick up that AM signal!

Favorite Pittsburgh Jazz Venue

My favorite was a venue that's long since gone - The Tender Trap on the border of Shadyside and East Liberty. It had the look, the vibe, the scene...I was sorry to see that go. Can't forget the original Crawford Grill; I caught the tail end of that. Sonny Day's Stage Door in Oakland, where Spider provided the place for alot of us young guys to grow. And the Humphrie Bros. Manteca in Manchester.

About Me:

I had the great fortune to come up at a time when there still were alot of places to play and sit in. Ther are very few jazz musicians I haven't shared a stage with here in Pittsburgh, and I'm sorry to say some of them have passed on without the recognition they deserve.

For off the cuff bios, you can look up some CD's I perform on: 'Sly On Life' with Duquesne University's Catch 22; 'At Last' with Bobby Negri; 'Ventana' with Ken Karsh; 'on Fire' with Amanda Ford. I'm also a clinician and drummer for Duquesne's annual Guitar and Bass Workshop - every July, I'm blessed to perform with the world's greatest guitarists - come check it out...it's a great annual Pittsburgh music event that, to my continued amazement, gets absolutely no media coverage! It's more than jazz now...the 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award went to Motown's Funk Brothers bassist Bob Babbitt, who left Pittsburgh in his late teens and soon ended up recording "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" with Stevie Wonder.

Cool and 'Tasty' are nice, but I always had some fire and The Funk, too. It is also a blessing, this many years into my passion for music, that music is so emotionally, spiritually, and sometimes physically overwheling as to lift me above and beyond the mundane - to find deeper ways and means of subconscious emotional expression...the fine art of Spontaneous Musical Composition...Improvisation!

Artist or Fan

artist

Comment Wall (17 comments)

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At 12:47am on February 27, 2009, Jerry Butler said…: I would love to feature "you" as my guest on my show..If I am not your friend..please add me...also please call me @ the offc at 757 538 3540...757 971 3733 for details...click on the banner below to be a guest...JB

At 12:13am on February 25, 2009, Michael A. Constable said…: I met Jim Blakemore more than once thru my dad, I notice from others' comments that he passed. I had not heard as I have been so out of touch for so long. He was always so nice to me. And Bobby is related to you? Did you see the photo of him and Dodo in my dad's pictures?
Please feel free to keep me updated (even privately) as I have so many memories from the 60's of all of these guys - I just need someone to jog them!

mconstable@cox.net
Thanks again.

At 12:06am on February 25, 2009, Michael A. Constable said…: Wow, everyone has made me feel even more proud of Dad , I am blown away by the comments by all. Thank you VERY much.

My mom is coming out to Vegas to visit me next week (it will be the first time I've seen her since Dad's passing). We are going to catch up on a lot!
I will show her this page and she will really appreciate all the wonderful things everyone has to say. I will certainly let her know you said "Hi". Thanks again and take care.

At 5:07am on November 16, 2008, Barry Levenson said…: Billy, your comment about me blew me away!!! You've always been so supportive...i love you a ton1 Send me some ph#s so we can catch up.
Barry

At 6:23am on September 1, 2008, Luther DeJarunett said…: Hi Billy! I heard about your recent illness, and I want to wish you a very speedy recovery!

At 1:38am on August 31, 2008, Troy W Campbell said…: Hey Billy two things how is Bobby doing I cant seem to find out from other people? I wanted to tell you I think that the piece you wrote for Jimmy Blakemore's memorial was Brilliant I would have never been able to put it any better. You can tell just how much you will miss him and I feel the same way. We started out together in a little group here in town with Ronnie Leibfreid on piano.
We also worked on Billy Butterfields band for a few college dates. May God Rest his soul. Troy Campbell

At 6:13am on June 10, 2008, George Jones said…: Brother Bill,
thanks for the kind words. For a minute there i thought you had the wrong person, then i saw my name. I could say the same things about you. We always had big fun but the music always came first. Hope to have many more great gigs in the future i'll be posting photos from the past, i think you'll find some of them very interesting.
Take care bro,
George

At 1:22am on May 15, 2008, SANDY STALEY said…: I ADDED A THOUGHT ON BOBBY. DID YOU SEE IT?
DEVORAH RESPONDED TO IT. WOULD DONNA BE ABLE
TO READ IT? I AM NOT COMPUTER=SAVVY!!!!!!!
HOW ABOUT AN UPDATE ON BOBBY... HATE TO BOTHER
DONNA...

At 12:19am on May 15, 2008, Devorah Segall said…: Billy- saw the comment about Jim- almost afraid to ask- ?
Sending prayers for all of you - also Bobby Negri
Get well soon
D.

At 2:04pm on May 7, 2008, Virgil Walters said…: Hey,
Just heard about Jim, so sorry--sorry to be out of touch---hope your well--doing Spiders Jam at Martini's this Saturday--it would be good to see you.
Virgil