From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Wed Dec 25, 2002  9:14 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Chris Kenner

CHRIS KENNER (By Phil Davies)

Born 25 December 1929, Kenner, Louisiana

Died 25 January 1976, New Orleans, Louisiana

Kenner was a suburb of New Orleans and Chris was born there on Christmas Day.
His father was a minister so it wasn't a surprise when Chris began his career in
the gospel field with the Harmonising Four, but he soon switched to r&b after
moving to the city , where he worked on the docks. He sang in an informal gospel
group with Earl King and many of his great songs had a gospel influence. His
influences were Willie Mabon and Joe Turner.

He recorded the ominously predictive Don't Let Her Pin That Charge On
Me/Grandma's House for the New York based Baton label in 1957. Chris had a US
Top 20 R & B hit in 1957 (number 13) on the Imperial label with his own
composition, 'Sick And Tired', a song later revived by Fats Domino (Eddie
Cochran cut an unreleased version before Fats). Chris had auditioned the song
for Dave Bartholomew. It was a while before Imperial issued it and he was
working on the docks when he heard it on the radio. He only had one more release
on Imperial before Lew Chudd released him (Chudd didn't rate his voice, but he
lost out on a great songwriter), he also recorded for Ron (Rocket To The Moon)
and Ponchartrain (Don't Make No Noise) in the late 50s. He hawked a demo tape of
I Like It Like That around but everyone turned it down, even Joe Banashak (they
couldn't agree on a royalty rate).

Chris pitched the song again to Banashak later and he was sent to Allen
Toussaint to do a new version. Chris was one of the first signings to the
Instant label, on which he recorded his some of his best-known songs. In 1961 'I
Like It Like That, Part 1', reached number 2 in the US pop charts. Kenner later
received a Grammy nomination for the song. He toured with The Coasters, LaVern
Baker, Jackie Wilson and Roy Hamilton.His drinking and poor memory made him an
unreliable live act.

This big hit was followed by 'Something You Got' (helped by the Popeye dance
craze) and 'Land Of A 1,000 Dances' (1963). The latter, based on a gospel song,
'Children Go Where I Send You', later became a hit for Cannibal And The
Headhunters (1965) and Wilson Pickett (1966 - US Top 10/UK Top 30). Other big
names like Fats, Ike & Tina, Junior Walker and Tom Jones also recorded versions
of it. Chris got himself into a complicated royalties deal with Fats. He got
into several bad deals along the way.

In 1965 the Dave Clark 5 had a huge US hit with a cover of I Like It Like That.
Alvin Robinson had a soul hit with a revival of Something You Got. These
royalties should've provided a good living for Chris but he drank way any money
he got and was frequently in debt to the BMI after getting advances on future
royalties.

Kenner was beset throughout much of his career by these serious alcohol
problems. He received a prison sentence in 1968 for statutory rape of a minor.
Locals claimed he was framed by the daughter of a disgruntled ex girl friend. He
served in Angola prison alongside James Booker. Released from prison in 73 he
attempted a comeback but he had a reputation as a poor live performer and wasn't
blessed with a great voice. He died of a heart attack on 25th January 1976,
triggered by his alcohol problems. He was found dead in his apartment in New
Orleans. He once again had frittered away the royalty cheque awaiting him on his
prison release.

Recommended reading:

I Hear You Knocking - Jeff Hannusch

Recommended listening:

I Like It Like That - Golden Classics - Collectables cd 1987

has some alternates, Charly had a similar album.