Keira Kenworthy: Mistress of Groove

Keira Kenworthy has always known that she belonged in the rhythm section. Born in Melrose, Scotland into a musical family, she focused on bass from the very beginning, picking up 4-string at 14. At Leeds Conservatoire in Leeds, England, she broadened her improv and songwriting skills by diving deep into jazz, blues, funk, and soul. 

After college, she formed the band Straightshooter with her father, drummer Mike Kenworthy (Raven), before working with Australian rockers Tequila Mockingbyrd, orchestral art-rock band the Red Paintings, blues guitarist Troy Redfern, guitarist Dave Simpson’s band Red Giant, drummer/producer Tal Bergman, and guitar great Haim Romano. Kenworthy then co-founded the band Syteria, featuring Jackie Chambers of Girlschool. She currently performs in several tribute and original bands. 

Although her playing style continues to grow alongside her resume, Kenworthy still pays homage to her roots by incorporating traditional Scottish elements into her songwriting. Regardless of what genre she tackles, she’ll always have her heritage as the backbone. She’s a bass player above all else. 

If you’re playing through a song with open sections and soloing, you don’t really have time to think, you just react. It takes practice because there’s a lot that goes into that and you need to understand chords and how they move.

You grew up in a musical household. What kind of music did you hear? 

My best memory is that we used to have Lynyrd Skynyrd on repeat. Alice Cooper was also always playing. Having a dad who was a musician was big for me. He did theater and session work, and he played in function bands. I learned a lot of what I do now from him. 

Was it bass from the start?

I tried drums. It’s ironic that it didn’t stick, since my father is a drummer. I remember doing a music exam in high school and I aced the bass part, but when I did the drum section I didn’t do well. It wasn’t for a lack of rhythm; I just didn’t know what to play on the kit. There were so many options in my mind. With bass, it felt like I knew exactly what to do. 

You studied at the Leeds Conservatoire. What were the biggest things you took from your time there?

When I left high school, we only had one music teacher for the entire school. Because that teacher was so completely stretched, I felt like I had to get myself ready on my own. When I went to Leeds, I didn’t know any theory; I didn’t cover that in high school. I wanted to learn things like improvisation and soloing, so I got a tutor to help me. I learned chord sheets, the Real Book, and how to develop bass lines. 

How much did learning those things enhance your playing?

It was a huge period of development for me. When most people approach improvisation, they don’t know exactly what it means, and they make it up as they go along. If you’re playing through a song with open sections and soloing, you don’t really have time to think, you just react. It takes practice because there’s a lot that goes into that and you need to understand chords and how they move. I learned bass by ear. I used tabs early on, but what you don’t get with tablature is the rhythm, the tempo, and the feel. Learning the things I did made it all so much easier. 

I love the Jaco sound, and I try to incorporate it into whatever tone I’m going for. My other main influence is James Jamerson, and I want that smooth, caramel tone. But that doesn’t work for every song — you wouldn’t do that on a punk song.

After school, you ended up joining Straightshooter. What was it like playing in a rhythm section with your dad?

It was great! We moved to North Yorkshire, and at the time, we were really into Southern rock. Blackberry Smoke was one of the bands that was really big in that scene. We didn’t see anyone else doing that kind of music locally, so we formed a lineup and started doing songs that people knew — but one thing I learned from my dad was that you have to write your own music. It helps to play things that people already know and then to pepper in your own songs; it gets the audience’s attention and then opens them up to the original tunes. That’s what we did in Straightshooter. 

How was your stint with JoanOvArc? 

It all started when I got a message from the band asking if I could cover a few shows because their bass player was pregnant. I played those dates and did a tour, and then they asked me to join permanently. I always want to be progressing as a bass player, and I was ready to leave the band Syteria, so I joined JoanOvArc. We did a really successful tour in 2019, and then COVID happened while we were in the middle of recording an album. We lost two or three years, and it took a toll on us; I was burned out and I knew my time was up, so I moved on. 

You play lots of basses. What do you look for in a bass?

I mainly use Fenders, but it all depends on the music. Each bass has a distinct sound and is good for a particular thing. I always come back to my 1982 Fender Precision, which I bought with my birthday money when I was 17. The neck was damaged and the truss rod was completely broken, so I got a new neck. I met Billy Sheehan at NAMM in 2020, and he sent me a pair of DiMarzio prototype Relentless pickups. I’ve used them ever since; I love how they sound. That bass has great bottom end and a great thumping tone.

You also play a Rickenbacker quite a bit. 

I love playing my Rickenbacker 4003, too. That’s a bass that you either love or hate playing. It has a really honky tone and I use that when I need something that cuts really well. I love playing my Fender FA-Series acoustic bass, too. They have an atmospheric sound, and they’re the first things I pick up when I want to write.

What’s your ideal bass tone?

I always go with a mid-scoop. I love the Jaco sound, and I try to incorporate it into whatever tone I’m going for. My other main influence is James Jamerson, and I want that smooth, caramel tone. But that doesn’t work for every song — you wouldn’t do that on a punk song. When I started doing a lot of jazz-fusion, I began using a lot of mid scoop. It helps a lot for slap as well. Because I’m using more pedals and preamps now, I use more of the tone controls on basses themselves. On the Markbass TTE 500, I tend to have it flat, and I use a compression to shape my tone. 

You play Markbass and Marshall amps. What do you love about their tone?

I use Marshall heads mainly for studio sessions and my Markbass amps when I gig out. Marshall VB 400’s and 8×10 cabinets are exceedingly rare, especially white ones, and I’m very happy to have one. I love Markbass amps; they sound great and they’re so easy to transport. 

I try to practice something difficult and technical in each session. The more you practice things that are hard for you, the easier they become. 

How has Scottish music inspired your playing?

I lived in Scotland for the first 18 years of my life, so Scottish music is a big part of me. One of the songs I wrote for JoanOvArc is called “Escape the Fire,” which is strongly influenced by Scottish cilidh (“kay-lee”) music. When I was growing up, we would play and dance to cilidh rhythms around Christmastime, so that jig feel is a part of my musical upbringing. It’s in compound time, which isn’t usually used by modern rock bands, but it sounds really nice because you can jig to it. Also, I love playing in Scotland because there are some great venues and great festivals. 

What are you working on in the practice room? 

I work a lot on what’s coming up in my gig schedule, and I practice that material every day. Going through the entire set keeps me focused on what I need to do. I try to practice something difficult and technical in each session. The more you practice things that are hard for you, the easier they become. 

When you’re not on the road, you teach bass. What do you like about teaching?

I enjoy teaching students who really have the passion for it. I’ve had students that want to do it, and fueling that spark is so rewarding. I’ve also had some loyal students who’ve continued to get better over the last five years, and it’s inspiring to watch them grow. I teach some young girls who are making huge strides and finding their voices as musicians. It takes time, and the students have to stick with it to see results. When they do, it’s just such a great feeling for both of us. 

Never pigeonhole yourself, even if you absolutely love a genre. I love rock and metal, but if I didn’t learn jazz, funk, and soul, I wouldn’t have been able to progress into the player I am now.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given about bass?

Never pigeonhole yourself, even if you absolutely love a genre. I love rock and metal, but if I didn’t learn jazz, funk, and soul, I wouldn’t have been able to progress into the player I am now. You can take techniques and ideas from anything, even genres you don’t listen to, and apply them to what you play. Jack Bruce, for example, was a jazz player, but most things he did, like Cream, were rock. When I started out, it was difficult to jump into different genres because I was so into rock and punk. My dad noticed how quickly I could pick up bass lines, and he told me to broaden my horizons by listening to Jaco and Jamerson. That opened so many doors to me, and now I don’t want to close anything off. 

Who are your greatest bass influences? 

Jaco, Jamerson, Les Claypool, and Bootsy Collins are big for me. I love players who have imagination and show you that there are no limits to what you can do. 

Why bass?

I’ve always been attracted to the rhythm section. As far back as I can remember, I looked at bass players in awe and was drawn to them. When I was in school, one of the biggest bands was Slipknot, and I would always focus on Paul Gray. Before I even played, that’s where my ear would go; I have very selective hearing when it comes to that. My dad used to always tell me that a band could get away with a mediocre guitarist, but never with a mediocre bass player. 

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