Billy Jenkins (musician)

Charles William Jenkins, known as Billy, was born on the 5th July 1956 in Bromley, Kent. The second of four children and the only son to Joan Margaret Jenkins (nee Stonhill), known as Peggy (1925-2000), an artist, puppeteer and former costumier at RADA and Graham Charles Jenkins (1928-2009), a former General Secretary to the Society of Chiropodists, one time president of the Pedestrian’s Association, founder chairman of the Bromley Town Plan Action Group and a Freeman of the City of London. His godfather was his uncle the Rev David Jenkins. Elementary musical training: Violin tuition under Elinor M. Isard LRAM age 9-11 (Grade 1 Distinction). Also basic piano (under Beth Cockett) & viola (under Leonard Davis) age 11-12. Chorister at Bromley Parish Church under Michael Bailey FRCO, ARCM age 10-12. Also occasional invited choirs at Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral.Self taught on guitar from age 12. Performed in local church halls, USAF Bases in East Anglia, riverside pubs, local colleges and clubs under various names 1970-72. Raised in a bohemian 23 room former hotel in Widmore Road, Bromley, with no central heating, television or car, but with a large garden cum smallholding within which his father was always cultivating, there was always a space inside or outside for creative solitude – a welcome asset, for turn round of lodgers occupying the top floor, an annual arrival of a student lodger from the nearby teaching’s training Stockwell College and a twice yearly puppet show in the built in puppet theatre in the living room where a young Billy and his big sister Caroline would accompany on violins, ensured that the family home was always underlyingly vibrant – especially when, as a young teenager, Billy started regular jam sessions in the derelict, self contained basement, which attracted many local contemporaries to either take part, like Billy’s best friend at the time, Bill Broad, later to become Billy Idol, or those who just hung out enjoying the ‘vibe’, like the soon to be author Hanif Kureishi, artist Kevin J. Collins and Steven Bailey, later to become Steven Severin. == Personal life ==

Billy was the second of four children and the only son. Eldest sister, Caroline was born in 1953. Billy in 1956, Lizzie in 1959 and Jenny in 1962. They were all born in their parents’ bedroom in Widmore Road. In 1970, a student lodger moved in by the name of Annie Canny. Thirteen years later, they got back in touch and they started co-managing Wood Wharf Rehearsal Studios on the River Thames in Greenwich, SE London. They were blessed with their twins Harriet Lettice Canny Jenkins and Alice Mecedes Canny Jenkins on the 17th September 1984. In 2002, with Harriet and Alice reaching the age of eighteen, Jenkins bade farewell to Annie and his beloved twins and began living with Jill Tritton, whom he had met at the Francis Drake Bowls Club in Brockley SE London. They were married in 2008, making Billy a stepfather to Gabriel Pol (born 1969), an award winning creative garden designer and a step grandfather to Ruben Pol (born 2001), musician, actor and filmmaker. Sadly, Gabiel took his own life in 2023. Alice’s children, Daniel (born 2010) and Thomas (born 2013), Billy’s grandchildren, have both appeared in a Beowulf Mayfield YouTube ‘music-snap’ promoting Billy’s music. And Daniel played the part of a young Billy on one of the Billy Jenkins Listening Club podcasts. ==Discography==

Studio albums • Sounds Like Bromley (VOTP, 1982) • Piano Sketches, 1973 - 1984 (Wood Wharf Records, 1984) • Beyond E Major (Allmusic Records, 1985) • Greenwich (Woodwharf Records,1985) • Uncommerciality Vol 1 (VOTP,1986) • Scratches of Spain (Babel, 1987) • In the Nude: Standards, Vol. 1 (VOTP, 1988) • Round Midnight Cowboy: Standards, Vol 2 (VOTP, 1988) • Motorway At Night (VOTP, 1988) • Uncommerciality Vol 2 (VOTP, 1988) • Blue Moon in a Function Room: Standards Vol 3 (VOTP, 1990) • Big Fights No.1 Jenkins v. Steve Argüelles (VOTP, 1991) • Big Fights No.2 Jenkins v. Steve Noble (VOTP, 1991) • Big Fights No.3 Jenkins v. Thebe Lipere (VOTP, 1991) • Uncommerciality, Vol 3 (VOTP 1991) • Actual Reality - music for two cassette machines (VOTP 1992) • Entertainment USA (Babel, 1994) • East West (Babel, 1996) • S.A.D (Babel, 1996) • Still Sounds Like Bromley (Babel, 1997) • True Love Collection (Babel, 1998) • Suburbia (Babel, 1999) • sadtimes.co.uk (VOTP, 2000) • Blues Zero 2 (VOTP, 2002) • LIFE (VOTP, 2002) • When the Crowds Have Gone (Babel, 2004) • Born Again (And the Religion is the Blues) (VOTP, 2010) • I Am A Man From Lewisham (VOTP, 2010) • BORN AGAIN (And The Religion Is The Blues) (VOTP, 2010) • Jazz Gives Me The Blues (VOTP, 2011) • The Semi-detached Suburban Home (VOTP, 2014) • Death, Ritual & Resonation (VOTP, 2015) • Ghost Music (VOTP, 2018) Live albums • ''Wiesen '87'' (VOTP, 1987) • Jazz Cafe Concerts Vol 1 (VOTP, 1989) • Jazz Cafe Concerts Vol 2 (VOTP, 1989) • Billy Jenkins / Fun Horns: Mayfest ‘94 (Babel, 1995) • Songs of Praise Live (Babel, 2007) Compilation albums • First Aural Art Exhibition (1992) DVD • Blues Al Fresco (2003) • ''Ain't Going Yet'' (2006) With Burlesque • Acupuncture (Arista Records, 1977) • Burlesque (Arista Records, 1977) With Trimmer & Jenkins • I Love Parties (Charisma, 1979) • Times Are B.A.D. (Charisma, 1979) • Live From London's Fabulous Comic Strip (Charisma, 1979) '''With Ginger Baker's Nutters''' • Ginger Baker in Concert (Onsala, 1987) • Ginger Baker's Nutters - Live in Milan, Italy 1981 (Voiceprint, 2010) • Ginger Baker's Nutters - Live At The Marquee Club 1981 (MIG Music, 2024). ==See also==