Introduction

Hi! I’m Ted!  I am a multi-instrumentalist (guitar, keyboards, vocals, drums, bass). I have been playing for 55 years both privately for enjoyment and professionally on stage. I have played to small clubs and large arena events. I am looking for like-minded experienced musicians who understand chemistry and are interested in doing something a little different from the typical “cover band”. I write original music and lyrics, I love jamming out to classic rock songs. I am not interested in playing a song list “verbatim” to the original. There are plenty of tribute bands and cover bands doing just that. One can rarely sound as good or better than the original artist and for that you might as well hire a DJ. I love playing those old songs, but I like to do my own rendition of them that is recognizable, but fresh. I absolutely love to jam out songs. I prefer to connect with musicians close in proximity as long drives can be a challenge. If you are interested in exploring whether we “gel” musically, or if you would like to just jam for fun. Hit me up at info@kokopellistudioz.com 

History / Bio

Born in 1958 in Portland, Oregon into a family steeped in music. My childhood idols were, Elvis, The Beatles, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly and Little Richard. Rock and roll is the center of my roots. As a child I was exposed to country and bluegrass. For an evenings entertainment, my family would pull out guitars, mandolins, accordions and all manner of instruments and play through the night. Music is the Clendenin way of life. It is my soul. I began with the unlikely instrument of trumpet at age 11, trained for symphony on it. But I had a burning desire for drums. I played rock drums professionally for 10 years, had a shot at the big time, but the band broke up. I then switched to lead / rhythm guitar. My influences are Pink Floyd (David Gilmour), Neil Young, SRV, EVH, and so many others. Playing keyboards has always been in the mix since I was young. I played in my second band for 10 years touring the Pacific Northwest. Our original music was chosen from over 1600 other bands to be highlighted at the Worlds Fair Expo ’86 in B.C. We were about to embark on the first leg of  a world tour when the band broke up. Then I moved to Northern California and played in rock bands and honed my style and skills in both Rock and Blues. I founded Kokopellistudioz in 2010. I then moved to Coastal Delaware in 2021. I plan to release my first solo album soon. Praying that “this time is a charm”!