(May 7, 2026) For three decades, he has quietly been in the room supporting artists in jazz, R&B and gospel. But Pittsburgh native keyboardist and composer Kenny Peagler has rarely stepped to the front of the stage…until now.
Peagler is readying the June release of his album We Are Just Human, a disc that shows off his rarely heard vocal chops, performed with an all-star cast of musicians, including Marcus Miller, Victor Wooten, and Lakecia Benjamin.
Focusing on organic performances and arrangements – thankfully devoid of AI enhancements – We Are Just Human is a comfortable entry in a year often filled with musical confusion. And the project leads off with a tasty slice of country-influenced midtempo R&B. “I Believe” is a love confession, a telling to that special person that they are the one and only “key to my heart.” And Peagler proves himself to be a direct, earnest vocalist, possessing a classic soul tone that sounds just right with the acoustic arrangement.
We’re pleased to introduce Peagler and the upcoming project to SoulTrackers via this First Listen. Check out “I Believe” below.
By Chris Rizik
