wardrobe for Ike and Tina Turner and the Ikettes. Oh, my God. Badass. Years later, I went on tour with John Fogerty, opening up for Tina Turner with 100,000 people a night in stadiums. I saw all kinds of bands at the Music Inn, and all those jazz concerts. Then I started working there. I just hung out and waited for somebody to tell me to do something. I wanted to be on that stage so bad.
ANASTASIA: You’ ve played with so many musicians through the years and have adapted to so many different styles, yet you still remain who you are. How does that happen? KENNY: I just love music. At Indiana University, I was glad to be playing any music. It all was great to me— country music, rock, classical, jazz. I’ ll give you an example. I was doing a week of recording with Cinderella in Philadelphia, then I went to Nashville, did a week of country with Hank Williams Jr. Then I went to New Orleans and Canada to record on albums before flying to New York to record with the Buddy Rich Big Band. But if you ask me what my favorite style of music is, I’ ll take a Les Paul and a Marshall stack. I like to rock.
ANASTASIA: What keeps you grounded? KENNY: I’ ve got a line that goes like this:“ I’ ll never be as great as I want to be, but I’ ll spend the rest of my life trying to be as great as I can be.” I’ m humbled by what I’ m not able to do, and I’ m eager to always achieve the things I can’ t do right now. When“ Jack and Diane” went to number one and I was in the same room I got fired from two years before, I celebrated for two seconds, and I went,
Kenny Aronoff joins Sammy Hagar in the“ Best of All Worlds” show that comes within a few hours of the Berkshires at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield on June 24.( Above, Lou Countryman; next page, Robert Downs)
“ I’ ll spend the rest of my life trying to be as great as I can be.”
Amber Construction & Design BUILDERS & DESIGNERS OF FINELY CRAFTED CUSTOM HOMES
Amber Construction and Design has been building and renovating homes for 30 years. We work seamlessly with architects, interior designers and skilled trades to facilitate an expeditious project for our clients in northern Connecticut and the southern Berkshires.
81 River Road, Collinsville, CT 06019 office: 860.693.0040 | design inquiries: 860.402.5293 | amberconstruction. net
Spring 2026 BERKSHIRE MAGAZINE // 41