Kent Kimball was born and raised in Los Angeles, the third child of Maurice (Mo) Kimball and Clarice Kimball. His father was a newspaper and magazine publisher and editor, while his mother was a talented pianist, organist, and composer who spent World War II as a USO entertainer in San Diego.
Kent attended Third Street Elementary School, where he was a schoolmate of Natalie Cole, daughter of Nat King Cole. He went on to attend high school in Fallbrook, California, where he was an officer in the FFA, a four-year Madrigal Singer, and president/student conductor of the 100-voice choir. He lettered in wrestling, swimming, and tennis.
Kent's father published the magazine "Western Aerospace" and was president of the Southern California Aero Club. Kent was often taken to see test launches or "roll outs" of new rockets, jet aircraft, and spacecraft at Edwards Air Force Base, Vandenberg Air Force Base, and other important aviation sites. He was personally introduced to many heroes of aviation and aerospace, including Buzz Aldrin, Chuck Yager, Jimmy Doolittle, "Pappy" Boyington, Louis Zamperini, and Francis Gary Powers.
Kent was interested in photography and astronomy from an early age. His photos have made the front covers of several magazines and newspapers. He built a Newtonian reflector telescope from scratch, even grinding the optics by hand, and constructed an observatory on top of his house to permanently protect it. He became a deep sky celestial photographer and witnessed the greatest meteor shower in recorded history, the Leonid meteor shower of November 1966.
Kent attended Los Angeles City College, California State University Northridge, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA),and graduated from the University of Southern California in 1973. He studied Business Administration and Music, but his real passion was always music. He took conducting classes from three of the greatest choral conductors in America: Charles Hirt, Roger Wagner, and Robert Shaw.
After the Navy, Kent went to work as a salesman in the communications and computer hardware industries, advancing to Sales Team Leader, District Sales Manager, National Sales Training Instructor, National Sales Manager, International Sales Manager, and eventually Vice President of Sales and Marketing. He traveled extensively, but it was difficult and sometimes impossible to fit much acting and music into his schedule.
Kent has performed in 72 plays and musicals, 41 TV commercials, 21 films, 25 operas, and 20 voice overs. He has appeared in movies with actors such as Andy Garcia, Tom Skerritt, Demi Moore, Cuba Gooding Jr., Ray Liotta, Sam Elliot, Chuck Norris, Peter Dinklage, Christian Slater, Vera Farmiga, Antonio Banderas, Amber Heard, James Woods, Carmen Electra, Lainie Kazan, Samuel L. Jackson, Jessica Biel, Taissa Farmiga, Burt Reynolds, Cary Elwes, and Angie Harmon. Five of these actors are Oscar award winners.
Kent has also appeared on television many times, including his TV debut at age 7 on "The Art Linkletter Show." He has been an executive on the Board of Directors of three opera companies on the West Coast and once served as General Director. He has performed in many operas, including "The Merry Widow," "Le Nozze Di Figaro," "La Traviata," "Amahl and the Night Visitors," "Makado," "Der Schauspieldirektor," "Die Fladermaus," "The Gondoliers," "Gianni Schicci," "Pirates of Penzance," "La Fanciulla del West," and "Barbiere di Siviglia."
Kent has also performed in many stage roles, including "Kiss Me Kate," "The Lion in Winter," "Evita," "The Sound of Music," "Annie," "Sweeney Todd," "Fantasticks," "Titanic," "South Pacific," "The Robber Bridegroom," "The King and I," and "Phantom."
As a conductor, Kent has performed with many renowned conductors, including Christopher Hogwood, Gunther Schuller, Fabio Mechetti, Charles Hirt, Robert Shaw, Eckhart Preu, Roger Wagner, Helmut Rieling, Alice Parker, James Lowe, Howard Swan, Paul Salamunivitz, and Jester Hairston. He has also appeared with the Spokane Symphony, Omaha Symphony, Spokane Opera, Zephyr, Inland Northwest Opera, Spokane String Quartet, The Festival at Sandpoint, and Opera Coeur d'Alene.
Kent has sung the National Anthem for NFL games in Cleveland, Ohio, and Green Bay, Wisconsin, and for the opening day of the USA National Figure Skating Championships, all nationally televised. He has written or arranged over 30 pieces of music and has been the Director of Music at four churches throughout the United States.
Kent enjoys mountain
