Will Kennedy’s drumming has always felt like more than timekeeping — it’s musical direction. Best known for his long-running role with Yellowjackets, Kennedy brings finesse, deep groove, and an unmistakable sense of motion that makes sophisticated jazz-fusion feel alive and natural. Among drummers and musicians, he’s often described as one of those players who inspires everyone around him simply by the way he listens and responds.
Kennedy’s road to Yellowjackets developed through the Bay Area scene, where he became a fixture early on and expanded quickly into touring and studio work. A key step came through his association with steel-pan innovator Andy Narell, which helped sharpen Kennedy’s versatility and confidence in high-level musical settings. In 1986, Yellowjackets saxophonist Marc Russo invited him to audition — and Kennedy became central to the band’s evolving sound across many recordings and tours that followed.
Alongside Yellowjackets, Kennedy’s résumé includes major television and session work, as well as touring with high-profile artists. Older credits and appearances have included being the house drummer for programs such as The Wayne Brady Show and the Martin Short Show, plus touring/performing connections tied to artists like Chaka Khan, Lee Ritenour, and Jonathan Butler. He has also been involved in soundtrack-related recording work, including sessions connected to films like Sideways and other studio projects from that era.
In recent years, Kennedy has continued performing and touring with Yellowjackets while staying active as an educator and clinician, including his long-standing involvement with university-level teaching in Los Angeles and drum education programs.
Recordings / credits: Yellowjackets (extensive discography and touring); additional touring/session work across jazz, pop, and film/TV-related recording projects.
Plays: Pearl; Zildjian; Evans; ProMark; Shure.
Sources: Yellowjackets; Pearl Drums; Zildjian; EVANS (D’Addario); ProMark; University of Southern California; Modern Drummer.
Update: 1/23/26
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