Kenny Cornell, a celebrated singer/songwriter, has made waves in the music industry with unparalleled talent and dedication to his craft. Hailed as the winningest songwriter in history at the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, KS, Cornell’s musical journey is a testament to his passion for creating impactful music that resonates with audiences worldwide.
“I ended up at Winfield two times by mistake,” said Cornell. “It was in 1972, and I was working as an advertising account executive. I didn’t even own or play a guitar. In 1973, I found myself back at Winfield during the festival.
At 25 I attended Winfield on purpose, and found myself playing with a group, standing in the road.”
In 1973, a 1962 mint green Chevy Bel Air station wagon with a New Jersey kid sitting on a cooler playing guitar was parked, and Cornell didn’t even know what flatpicking was. But those licks caught his attention and excited parts of Kenny that he didn’t even know existed. Ever since, Cornell has not missed an opportunity to attend the Winfield festival this past 52 years. With over 40 years of songwriting championships now under his belt, Kenny laughed when asked about his first song. “You’ll never hear it and no one else will either.”
Kenny refers to himself as an imperfect songwriter, but those who have heard him will offer high praise. He says that listening to Cat Stevens, John Prine, Jimmy Buffet, and Jerry Jeff Walker laid the path for skillful writing and composing he would follow.
Cornell writes stories that “make you laugh, and make you cry,” often in the same song. A furious worker, one time he wrote 18 songs in three days in the comfort of his living room.
In 1988, Cornell entered at Winfield for the first time. Inspired by that first unplanned visit to Walnut Valley, and by the sounds of bluegrass and folk music that have filled the air for over 50 years. It was that passion that fed the fire for Cornell. Then in 1992, Cornell moved to Nashville to run with the big boys, and follow his newfound dream of becoming a songwriter. Tom Collins picked Kenny up as a songwriter, and his love for music and the skills of letting mind and pen flow, grew rapidly. By June 1995, George Jones & Tammy Wynette had released It’s an Old Love thing, with lyrics from none other than Kenny Cornell.
With tears in eyes, and a sincere apology for getting so emotional, Kenny shared…
“I had a friend at Winfield that had passed away and it touched me. I wrote Missing [Missing Faces], as a way of tribute to him. A guy came to me and said, ‘There’s this lady who wants to see you.’ This lady had a baggie of her husband’s ashes, and told me that she too was missing ‘missing’ faces. I write songs that affect people.”
That affect has held on strong as Kenny has been recognized for over 40 years at Winfield, in several different categories. In 2024, Kenny and Elliott Rogers were recognized for their humorous song, Your Problem Now, and Kenny was given an achievement and special recognition award for being the winningest songwriter ever in the competition there.
Kenny and his wife, Rosie, reside in Broken Arrow, Ok, which is a suburban city near Tulsa. Rosie is a well known bass player and instructs at many camps. After 24 years, the pair can be found camped at many festivals throughout the Midwest. Their favorite however is Winfield, and the Walnut Valley Festival.
He says that his passion for storytelling through music blossomed as he performed at local venues and festivals, captivating audiences with his raw talent and heartfelt lyrics. It was clear from the start that Cornell was destined for greatness, with his unique blend of traditional roots and modern influences setting him apart as a songwriter in the music scene.
