Five Firsts: Penny Knight of the Penny Knight Band

NAME: Penny Knight
BAND AFFILIATION: Penny Knight Band
INSTRUMENT: Vocals, Drums, Percussion

1. THE FIRST ALBUM I EVER BOUGHT WAS … A Patsy Cline album. My dad was a hillbilly from West Virginia. When I was a little girl, he would play his guitar, and I would sing Patsy songs. When we would go to visit family in West Virginia, he would show me off. I remember singing at the “after funeral” party for my Grandmother when I was 12 years old. That party lasted three days. Those hillbillies really knew how to celebrate someone’s life.

2. THE FIRST CONCERT THAT I EVER SAW WAS … The Who at Saratoga Performing Arts Center. After hanging there in the rain – and getting “high,” no doubt – with 33,000 people, it kind of set the standard of concert going a little high for me!

3. THE FIRST MUSICAL INSTRUMENT I EVER OWNED OR PLAYED WAS … Drums. My dad took me to a pawn shop in Albany and said, “Pick out what you want to play.” So I picked drums.

4. THE FIRST SONG THAT I EVER PERFORMED IN PUBLIC WAS … Gee, I have a little trouble with that one. I remember my first bar gig. The Showbar in Albany. I was 13 years old. My dad took me to the gig and picked me up at 3am after the gig. My parents were cool like that!

5. THE FIRST BAND I WAS EVER IN WAS … We didn’t really have a name. It changed weekly with the members. We played school dances and a lot of basement parties.

The Penny Knight Band is playing some reunion shows this week – for the first time in 25 years! The band – featuring Richard Parks, Bob Boyer, Tony Jones, Tony Genevive and, of course, Penny Knight – will be at Savannah’s in Albany at 8pm on Wednesday; Eccentric Studio in Ravena at 9pm on Friday; and at Jay’s Bar & Grill in Ballston Spa at 3pm on Sunday.