Kenny Aronoff

• Name — Kenny Aronoff • Birth Name — Kenneth D. Aronoff • Born — 7 March 1953 • Birthplace — Albany, New York, U.S. • Occupation — Drummer • Years Active — 1979–present • Website — kennyaronoff.com

Aronoff was born to a Jewish family and grew up in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. He developed an interest in music at an early age and gravitated to the drums as "drumming was one hundred percent energy." He studied classical music in college both at the University of Massachusetts and Indiana University, from which he graduated in 1976. Several classical orchestras offered him a timpani percussion position which he declined in order to study jazz and fusion drum set work, before joining some bands in Indiana. Aronoff worked a summer at the Tanglewood Music Festival where he worked with conductors Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland and Arthur Fiedler. After which he was offered a seat in Israel’s Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, which he turned down to pursue his passion for rock and roll music.

In 1980, Aronoff joined the backing band of John Mellencamp, who was using the stage name Johnny Cougar at the time. Aronoff remained with Mellencamp's band for 17 years. He played drums for John Fogerty live and in the studio from 1996 but no longer works with Fogerty. Aronoff was Associate Professor of Percussion at Indiana University from 1993 to 1997. Each year, The Aronoff Percussion Scholarship is awarded to an Indiana University percussion student. Aronoff was an inaugural member of the Independent Music Awards' 2001 first Annual IMA judging panel to support independent artists. He performed at the Kennedy Center Honors from 2008 to 2014. On January 26, 2014, Aronoff performed at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards with Ringo Starr. Aronoff joined Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr in the CBS special The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to the Beatles that aired on February 9, 2014.