Kevin Toney – born April 23, 1953, in Detroit, Michigan – was a jazz pianist best known as the leader of jazz / rock/ fusion group The Blackbyrds, who scored a hit in 1974 with the song “Walking in Rhythm.” Influenced by jazz greats such as Art Tatum and John Coltrane, Kevin Toney graduated from Cass Technical High School in Detroit before attending Howard University in Washington, D. C. Iconic trumpeter Donald Byrd headed the jazz studies department at Howard University and spearheaded the formation of a group made up of his students. Calling themselves The Blackbyrds and led by Kevin Toney, this band of young musicians signed with Fantasy Records in 1973 and released their self-titled debut album in 1974. Later that same year, The Blackbyrds released their second album, Flying Start, which featured the hit single “Walking in Rhythm.” The song reached the Top 10 on Billboard’s Hot 100, R&B Singles, and Disco singles charts and became their best-known track. The Blackbyrds released a total of seven albums between 1974 and 1980 and several more charting singles – including “City Life” (1975), “Happy Music” (1976), “Time is Movin’” (1976), and “Supernatural Feeling” (1977) – before splitting up in 1981. Kevin Toney wasted no time in jumping into a solo career and released his debut album, Special K, in 1982. He then worked with several other artists including Bill Summers and Summers Heat, Michael Davis, Ray Parker Jr., Breanda Russell, Phil Upchurch, and Chester Thompson. Kevin toney returned as a solo artist with Lovescape (1993), which was followed by albums such as Pastel Mood (1995), Extra Sensual Perception (1999), Strut (2001), 110 Degrees and Rising (2005), New American Suite (2012) and Kings of the Evening (2012). On March 18, 2024, Kevin Toney died from cancer at the age of 70.
