LA Music Review | Art, stories and advice
Electrifying, iconic and truly unstoppable!
Joyce Kennedy has been a staple in the rock, soul, and funk scenes…
since the young age of 16, all the way to her current age of 74 years old. Joyce Kennedy is the definition of an icon, having sung and collaborated with legends such as Alice Cooper, ACDC, Ted Nugent, Black Sabbath, Aerosmith, and Earth Wind and Fire. Kennedy is still on tour with her legendary band Mother’s Finest, showing her dedication to her craft and the longevity that her classic voice has created for her over decades.
Joyce “Baby Jean” Kennedy was born in the Mississippi Delta and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Her career as a singer began at the age of 16, dubbed by the Chicago Radio with her first #1 single (“I Still Love You”) as “16 years old with a hundred years of soul.”
Joyce’s next #1 singles (“Baby Love” & “Love Changes”) came years later with the forming of the fusion rock funk band Mother’s Finest that she formed with her husband, Glenn Murdock. As the singer in this unit, she earned the title “funk metal rock soul diva” through her approach to her stage presence and vocal stylings. Once you’ve heard Joyce’s voice, you remember it. It embraces you, touches you. She’s honest and makes you feel like you’ve known her forever. One minute full of rocket fuel the next you’re wrapped in the warmth of her heart.
“The Last Time I Made Love” was her most successful single, reaching number 2 on the R&B charts and number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Joyce Kennedy and Mother’s Finest are currently embarked on an international tour.
Start streaming “Rock’n My Soul” right here:
This latest project from Joyce Kennedy, Rock’n My Soul…
is a tour-de-force in the rock/funk fusion genre, bringing together high energy instrumentals with Kennedy’s powerful vocals and ripping, confident lyrics. The opening track, “My Bad,” builds quickly from an engaging rock riff into lyrics that effortlessly meld religious imagery with the idea of rock as a concept. The chorus confidently chants, “the rock’s gotten in my soul,” displaying how this isn’t just music, it’s a way of life and a creed as deep as any religious one.
In track two, “Love Me, Love Me,” Kennedy is sure of what she wants. She does a great job of breaking the stigma surrounding depictions of sexual expression. This is a huge step in the right direction in a society where it is taboo for women to express sexual desire. Track three, “Do Me Right,” continues this narrative of Kennedy knowing her worth and what she deserves in the bedroom.
Kennedy brings themes of morality, inspiration, and badassery to her Rock’n My Soul EP, just as we expected.
This EP truly is a stellar example of Kennedy’s style, and sure to be a great fit for any rock/funk playlist.
Connect with Joyce
