Jeff Kinnell (1952-2008)

Our fiddle player, Jeff Kinnell, passed away on at home on Sunday, May 18, 2008 at the age of 56, after a two year battle with melanoma. Jeff was well known to MBOTMA members and musicians of all kinds as a mandolin, guitar, and banjo player who loved to jam. His last public gig with Long Time Gone was at the Winter Bluegrass Weekend in March, 2008.
 
Entering the U.S. Navy upon completion of high school, Jeff served three years in the military. Afterwards he spent several years traveling throughout the western states with his wife while playing music with a variety of musicians. Jeff was self-taught on the banjo, fiddle, mandolin, and guitar.
 
In the 1980's Jeff went back to school, earning a Chemical Engineering degree from the University of Idaho. His work as an engineer eventually led him to a position at Kemps in Farmington, Minnesota.  Shortly thereafter he discovered MBOTMA and became a familiar sight at the Richmond festivals camped in the triangle of rough camping closest to the main performances areas.
 
Jeff played with both Long Time Gone and Alternate Route and was always up for a jam. In LTG, Jeff played the fiddle and occasionally mandolin or banjo. He also sang lead on some fine old-time stringband songs and added a fine harmony where needed.  

We will always remember the fun and foolishness of “Hot Corn, Cold Corn,” and “Old Plank Road” the way he used to sing them. (You can hear Jeff on our Music Page.) He cited Bill Monroe as his greatest inspiration in bluegrass music, along with Jerry Garcia and Ed Haley, and admires the unique styles of Mike Compton, James Bryan, John Hartford, and David Grisman.

There is a very nice obituary placed by Jeff’s family in the Star Tribune, and the opportunity to sign the online guest book. His family would love to hear from you if you knew Jeff  or ever jammed with him.
http://www.legacy.com/StarTribune/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonID=110101666

A college fund memorial has been set up under the name of Raven CoCo Kinnell, Jeff's youngest daughter and a fledgling fiddle player, at U.S. Bank, 3629 Krestwood Lane, Eagan, MN 55123.