Kenneth David “Kenny” Kirkland (September 28, 1955 in Newport, New York – November 12, 1998 in New York City, New York) was an American pianist/keyboardist. Considered by many to be one of the most important and influential pianists of his generation, he is most often associated with Sting, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, and Kenny Garrett.

Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1955, Kenneth David Kirkland was only six when he first sat down at a piano keyboard. After years of Catholic schooling, Kirkland enrolled at the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied classical piano performance, classical theory and composition. His first professional work came with Polish fusion violinist Michal Urbaniak, touring throughout Europe with his group in 1977 and recording the albums Urbaniak and Daybreak. Coincidentally, Kirkland’s next high-profile gig was with another Eastern European jazz émigré, Miroslav Vitous. Kirkland is featured on Vitous’ ECM recordings First Meeting and Miroslav Vitous Group.

In his more than twenty-year career, Kirkland performed or recorded with such artists as Don Alias, Carla Bley, Terence Blanchard, Michael Brecker, Stanley Clarke, Urszula Dudziak, Kevin Eubanks, Charles Fambrough, Chico Freeman, Kenny Garrett, Dizzy Gillespie, Elvin Jones, Stanley Jordan, Arturo Sandoval, John Scofield, Tom Scott, Ernie Watts, Jeff “Tain” Watts and Mark Whitfield. Throughout his career, Kirkland also offered his talents to a variety of non-jazz artists, from soul singers Ben E. King and Angela Bofill, to Senegalese star Youssou N'Dour, to classic-rockers Stephen Stills and David Crosby.

Kirkland died in the Queens borough of New York City on November 11, 1998, having overdosed on heroin. He is survived by his mother, a brother and two sisters.

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