Lance Alexander Kinnaird of Portland, Oregon, passed away in September at age 37. He was born on April 14, 1987, and raised in Ridgefield, Connecticut. He is survived by his parents, Ms. Marshall Ballou, and Deborah and Robert Kinnaird, all of Ridgefield.
Lance attended Veterans Park School and East Ridge Middle School in Ridgefield. While in middle school he picked up a guitar and had a Bethel guitar teacher, Damon John Wade, of Wade Piano Center, who said, "He was an original. He had a voice and a way of pulling people in." He continued playing while attending Ridgefield High School and Cedar Ridge Academy, where he earned a black belt in Shotokan Karate as well as the highest scholastic honors. He later graduated from and thrived at the University of Oregon in Eugene with degrees in Economics and Political Science.
In Portland, Oregon, his love for music and passion for performing took center stage in his life. He performed with Portland blues guitarist Lauren Abraham, and Lance’s soulful, smokey voice, mixed with Abraham’s high-octane blues guitar, created an electrifying combination. The duo would later add bassist Matt Brewster and drummer Sean Kenny to form The Lance Kinnaird Band. Their energetic, blues-driven jams, paired with Lance’s ability to captivate and connect with his audience, quickly made the group a staple across the Portland music scene. Lance would go on to release his first album, a six-song EP titled “Bright Nights”, which can still be found on all the major musical platforms. Some of his songs, videos and photos can be found on his website, www.LanceKmusic.com, where he lists 12 originally written songs.
On November 3rd, there will be a musical celebration for Lance in Oregon City, Oregon, at The Trail's End Saloon, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with many of his colleagues playing both his and their music in honor of their musical friend.
Contributions may be made in his name, Lance Kinnaird, to www.MusiCares.org/donate, an organization that focuses on helping musicians of all kinds thrive.