Remembering Ken Knowles

More info to come as available

Al Stewart’s introduction of Kenny Knowles, End of Season 1971. Audio also available:

I could take a half an hour introducing this guy and I’d love to, but I think we both should be worse off if I did.

I have had the privilege of introducing him and watching an audience completely be taken apart by this guy so many times. And watch him get standing ovations from so many audiences in so many places where they never saw him or heard of him before.

And I have announced many times, and I know this is true, that he is the best known collegiate entertainer in America right this moment. Has done more to more audiences all over the nation than any other person because he sings for a national convention about once a week. And, letters from all over the country about Kenny Knowles.

I have introduced him many times as a model of American youth. I have introduced him as being a clod. I have introduced him as being a young man with not one bad habit in the world. He only has one hidden desire and that’s to be an English teacher. Up until a week ago, I used to say he had lots of hidden desires, but he was married last Saturday, to a very lovely young lady. By the way, we’ve got the wives here. Where are the wives? Stand up wives, come on. Stand up all Glee Club wives. Look at that. Look at that.

Great. Great. Thank you. Paulie Snyder Ford is one of those back there, and we’re sorry that Bob’s not here, but Bob’s out trying out for the Olympics, basketball team, you probably now. And that’s the reason Bob isn’t here, but we’re with glad Paulie’s here.

Back to you. It’s just so darn hard to pick only a couple or three things that this guy is going to sing for us tonight. And I’d love to sit here all night and listen to everything that he knows. And this is about the last time I get to introduce him because he is not going to Europe with us. And so when he sings for commencement tomorrow, he’s all done and finished in one step. He goes back to the gravel pit at Covington, and teaches over in, where are you going to teach? Walton, Indiana. Won’t that be exciting?

Four years ago when he was a freshman he made his debut with us at the Waldorf Astoria, and I saw him get a standing ovation from a world conference. And I saw him get a standing ovation at the Washington Hilton last week, I saw him get a standing ovation in the Sheraton Park Hotel in Washington, DC, I saw him get a standing ovation two weeks ago in the Boston Hilton, and this guy is ready. Don’t think he isn’t.

He’s gonna teach English in Walton, Indiana. And he’ll live in a little white cottage in Walton someplace with Pam.

I think probably the song that he has been more successful with, third most successful song is Here in this Enchanted Place, he learned in Hawaii. The next one that he has been next most successful with is, Love Me With All Your Heart. And the one that everybody says, oh, let him sing, I Believe, and that’s the greatest.

Kenny Knowles!