US jazz bassist, born August 29, 1927 in Shelby, MT, died June 9, 2004.
Kelly joined Chubby Jackson's big band in 1949, played with Charlie Barnet, Red Norvo, Woody Herman, Lennie Niehaus, Stan Kenton and others in the 1950s. From 1961 to 1967 he toured and recorded with Harry James.
In 1986 Kelly retired from performing and opened his own Tacoma jazz club, Kelly's; he was inducted into the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame in 2000.