Jeff Lisenby, Raytown South High School, Class of 1973

Jeff Lisenby graduated from Raytown South High in 1973. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Missouri in accordion performance and music composition and later received a Master’s Degree in music.

Jeff won bronze and silver medals for the United States in international accordion championships, and as a free-lance pianist, accordionist, and musical director, he has performed with the Nashville, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Lexington, and West Palm Beach orchestras. He also music-directed and performed on the Broadway stage in Ring of Fire, The music of Johnny Cash. Jeff played keyboards with the touring shows of Wicked and Jersey Boys and has accompanied Brenda Lee, Pavarotti, Blake Shelton, Dolly Parton, Lee Greenwood, and Donna Summer.

Jeff was a music instructor at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. He also taught singers and instrumentalists for cruise ship production shows through Gary Musick Productions. He played on many recordings including the Grammy-winning Songs from the Neighborhood, The music of Mister Rogers, and his own CDs, Walkin’ the Winter Wonderland and A Spy in Tortuga.

Lisenby served as a member of Broadcast Music Inc., the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, The Nashville Composers’ Collective, the Accordionists and Teachers Guild, and the Brentwood, Tennessee Church of Christ.

Jeff’s wife Pam is the costumer for the Nashville Opera and many Nashville-based music videos and movies. Their daughter Jaclyn Brown is a studio singer and music director for Chaffin’s Barn dinner theater, and the head of Chick Singer Night at the world-famous Bluebird Café in Nashville. Pam and Jeff’s son Jonathan just completed his Master’s Degree in Art, specializing in painting. Jeff’s mother Doris still attends the Ivanhoe Church in Raytown and is a volunteer for Kansas City Hospice. 

Jeff Lisenby passed away in early 2021.