Early life

Kenny was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and first came into contact with a saxophone when he heard someone performing with one on The Ed Sullivan Show. He learned how to play by practicing along with records (mostly of Grover Washington, Jr.), trying to emulate the sounds that he was hearing. At Franklin High School he failed to get into the jazz band when he applied, although was accepted the following year when he tried again. He also played for his high school golf team, a sport which he had loved ever since his older brother, Brian Gorelick, introduced it to him when he was ten years old.