Ken Stringfellow
A power-pop craftsman and versatile sideman who helped revive the sound of Big Star while building his own rich musical catalog.
Born 1968 (age 58)·American musician·Birthday: October 30·Generation X
Biography
Ken Stringfellow first made noise in the late 1980s with The Posies, a band he co-founded that distilled the harmonic brilliance of The Beatles through a filter of Seattle grit, just before grunge exploded. Their jangle-pop albums like 'Frosting on the Beater' earned a devoted following. Stringfellow’s meticulous songwriting and multi-instrumental talents made him a valuable collaborator, leading to a long stint as a touring and recording member of R.E.M. during their later years. His most profound contribution, however, may be his role in the resurrection of the influential band Big Star. He joined Alex Chilton and Jody Stephens for emotionally charged reunion shows and played on Big Star’s final studio recordings, helping to secure the band’s legacy. As a solo artist and producer, he has woven these experiences into a diverse and personal body of work, operating as a steadfast guardian of melodic rock’s finer traditions.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Ken was born in 1968, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ken Was Born
The biggest hits of 1968
#1 Movie
2001: A Space Odyssey
Best Picture
Oliver!
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Ken's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1968Born
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1973Started school
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1981Became a teenager
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Could drive
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1986Could vote
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Turned 21
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1998Turned 30
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 40
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 50
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 58 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-founded the influential power-pop band The Posies, releasing several critically acclaimed albums.
- Became an official touring and studio member of R.E.M., contributing to albums like 'Up' and 'Reveal'.
- Played a key role in the reunion of the seminal band Big Star, performing and recording with them until Alex Chilton’s death.
- Has released multiple solo albums showcasing his songwriting and genre-spanning abilities.
- Has produced or contributed to over 200 albums as a session musician, arranger, or producer.
Did You Know?
He is fluent in French and has lived for extended periods in Paris, France.
He contributed vocals to the soundtrack of the video game 'Grand Theft Auto IV'.
He toured as a keyboardist for the Norwegian band Lagwagon.
His solo work often incorporates electronic and experimental elements alongside his pop foundations.
He produced albums for artists like the Danish band Mew and the Swedish group The Soundtrack of Our Lives.
“A great song is a world you can enter, built from harmony and friction.”
