Ted McKenna (1950-2019)

Ted McKenna (1950-2019)

Edward McKenna was a Scottish drummer who played with The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Rory Gallagher and The Michael Schenker Group. He also toured with Ian Gillan for a short period in 1990, alongside fellow former SAHB member, bassist Chris Glen. He lectured in Applied Arts at North Glasgow College from 1996–2011. 

McKenna was born in Lennoxtown, Stirlingshire, Scotland. He was educated at St Patrick's High School, Coatbridge. His studies included double bass lessons at school, several piano lessons, and a year under Glasgow big band veteran, Lester Penman. He worked as a band member for several artists, including Rory Gallagher from 1978–1981. He worked as a session musician with Greg Lake & Gary Moore in The Greg Lake Band 1980–81; the Michael Schenker Group in 1981–84; Bugatti & Musker, 1982; Ian Gillan; and a solo album for Nazareth singer Dan McCafferty, in 1975.

Achievements:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sensational_Alex_Harvey_Band#Discography

In August 1972, Alex Harvey formed The Sensational Alex Harvey Band (often shortened to SAHB) with guitarist Zal Cleminson, bassist Chris Glen, and cousins Hugh and Ted McKenna on keyboards and drums respectively, all previous members of progressive rock act Tear Gas.

After some time, they adopted iconic stage costumes. More specifically, Alex Harvey started to wear vaudeville-like clothes and his trademark striped shirt, while Zal Cleminson assumed the identity of a "mime" in full make-up and green-yellow jumpsuit, and Chris Glen wore a dark blue jumpsuit reminiscent of a superhero costume incorporating lighter blue trunks.

SAHB produced a succession of highly regarded albums and tours throughout the 1970s. The band never achieved acclaim in the United States the way it did in Great Britain, but it had a cult following in certain US cities, especially Cleveland, where the group first played at the Agora Ballroom in December 1974. Thanks to airplay from WMMS, songs like "Next" and "The Faith Healer" became very popular. Cleveland remained a city where The Sensational Alex Harvey Band had a devoted following. However, they were unable to replicate that popularity in most other US cities.

The Sensational Alex Harvey Band had Top 40 hits in Britain with the single "Delilah", a cover version of the Tom Jones hit, which reached number seven in 1975, and also with "The Boston Tea Party" in June 1976.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Schenker_Group#Discography

(1983-1984, 2008, 2016-2019)

The Michael Schenker Group (often abbreviated as MSG) are an English guitar-oriented hard rock band formed in London in 1979 by former Scorpions and UFO guitarist Michael Schenker. In 1986, Schenker and vocalist Robin McAuley formed the McAuley Schenker Group, which lasted until 1993. After that, in 1996 the Michael Schenker Group was reformed.

The music is best described as mostly melodic hard rock with progressive undertones. Schenker is famous for his half-black, half-white Gibson Flying V electric guitar and for his unorthodox approach to lead guitar. He is sponsored by Dean Guitars and is well known in the neo-classical genre.