3 minute read
Banjo Jimmy An Upperville Treasure
Banjo Jimmy An Upperville Treasure
By Michele Husfelt
Going on 45 years on the job with no plans to retire despite all the rain, snow, sleet, or heat, during the week you’ll find Jimmy Kenny performing one of his two favorite tasks: taking care of Ivy Hill Cemetery in Upperville and pickin’ the banjo.
Born and reared an only child to Upperville natives, the late Welby and Beulah Rose, “Banjo Jimmy,” 78, is a familiar presence in the village and surrounding areas. Both his grandfather and father were postmasters at the Upperville Post Office, a position that lends itself to knowing and being known to all.
Reflecting on his past, he credits his loving parents and upbringing at Upperville Baptist Church as the keys to the man he’s become.
“I always thought of my mom as my best friend,” he said, “and even though I learned so much, especially about music, from my dad, I wish I had learned even more.”
Quite the musician, Kenny and his father, played in nearly every venue around. The pinnacle of his bluegrass band days, even more outstanding than having actor Robert Duvall come sit in his living room enthralled by their talent, was the opportunity to once play on the iconic Ted Mack and The Original Amateur Hour television show in New York City.
The year was 1967 and the Blue Ridge Mountain Buddies band from rural Virginia, including Kenny’s father, snagged a rare opportunity to audition for the show at the Channel 9 CBS affiliate studio in Washington D.C.
Welby Kenny was on a hunting trip in West Virginia and had to miss the audition, so his son, Jimmy, filled in on the banjo for him. Fifty acts were chosen out of 1,300 auditions, and Kenny remembers he “about fell on the floor when they came out and told the band they were going to New York!”
They played a song called “Foggy Mountain Breakdown,” and to this day, Kenny laughs with an ear-to-ear grin when he retells the story. “We were paid $125 and thought we were rich!”
These days, Kenny continues to strum away on the bass and the banjo, offering his talent to church and community events, and hosting jam sessions in his living room on occasional Friday nights. When the weather is nice, his lucky neighbors might hear an impromptu concert from his backyard, while he and a few other talented folks from previous bands gather for old times’ sake.
At Ivy Hill, Kenny rides the mower, whacks the weeds, and cares for the sacred grounds of those who rest on its hill. He has seen the grandchildren of some of the cemetery workers he started with who are now working at Ivy Hill themselves. He knows he makes a difference to so many loved ones who come to visit.
He recently spoke with a woman who worked at the White House, now retired in Connecticut, whose father was buried there many years ago. This was her first journey back to Ivy Hill since his death and she was warmed by Jimmy’s presence and their conversation.
“This is kinda like my ministry I didn’t know I had,” he said. “To be here for people like her.”
Between his musical talent and desire to perform his job with excellence, this self-proclaimed “simple man,” is a treasure to his community and anyone fortunate to call him a friend. Next time you see a little black truck rolling down Route 50 with the license plate “Banjo 1”, wave hello to Jimmy Kenny.
