Hear the second edition of a new segment titled “40 Indiana guitar pioneers every Hoosier should know.” Over the next year, we’ll be sharing the music and history of Indiana guitarists who made notable contributions to music. Some of these musicians are world-famous; some you may not have heard of. This is not a ranked list, and it won’t be presented in any particular order. On this edition, learn about the Gary, Indiana guitarist Donald Kinsey, who played with artists including Bob Marley, Albert King, and Peter Tosh. Donald Kinsey was born May 12, 1953, in Gary. He was one of three sons of Lester “Big Daddy” Kinsey, a respected Chicago blues guitarist, singer, and harmonica player who migrated from Mississippi to Gary in the mid-20th century. Music was part of Donald’s life from an early age. He began playing guitar at five years old, learning chords from his father and performing in church and at local gigs. By his early teens, he had earned the nickname “B.B. King Jr.” In 1972, Donald’s professional career took a major leap when he was recruited to play with Albert King, one of the most influential blues guitarists of all time. Kinsey toured extensively with King, appearing at major festivals including Wattstax and the Montreux Jazz Festival. He also recorded several albums with King, including I Wanna Get Funky and Blues at Sunrise. This was a formative period that helped Kinsey refine his technique and stage presence while reaching audiences beyond the Midwest club circuit. In the mid-1970s, Kinsey left the Albert King band to join the psychedelic rock group White Lightnin’. The band’s self-titled debut album was released by Island Records in 1975. Kinsey’s connection to Island Records would prove significant. The label was co-founded in Jamaica by Chris Blackwell in 1959, and Blackwell introduced Kinsey to a rising young star on the label: Bob Marley. Kinsey’s career soon took an unexpected turn toward reggae. From 1975 to 1976 he toured with Bob Marley and the Wailers, appearing on Marley’s classic 1976 album Rastaman Vibration and numerous live recordings. Kinsey also worked extensively with Peter Tosh, contributing to several landmark albums including Legalize It, Equal Rights, Bush Doctor, and Mama Africa. He also recorded with Burning Spear, playing guitar on the albums Dry & Heavy and Marcus’ Children. Kinsey was with Marley during one of the most harrowing moments in reggae history—the attempted assassination of Marley in Kingston in December 1976, when gunmen opened fire at Marley’s home. After Marley’s death in 1981, Kinsey recorded a tribute titled “Song for Bob.” In 1984, Kinsey reunited with his brothers Ralph and Kenneth and their father Lester to form The Kinsey Report, a band blending electric blues, rock, and roots music. The group recorded a series of albums beginning with Edge of the City in 1987 and became known for its powerful live performances, earning critical acclaim on the blues circuit and touring across the United States and internationally. Kinsey remained active into the 2020s, performing with both the Kinsey Report and the Wailers band. Donald Kinsey died February 6, 2024, in Merrillville at age 70, just weeks after the death of his older brother Ralph.
