Kerry Awn

Kerry Awn, who was born in 1949 in Houston, began his career as a comedian. In 1982 he joined Esther's Follies and continued as a regular featured performer for 30 years, until 2011.  He is a founding member of Austin’s most outrageous band, Uranium Savages, and has also been a regular at the Velveeta Room, the Austin comedy club named after one of Awn's characters, lounge lizard Ronnie Velveeta.  He is the original winner of the Funniest Person in Austin contest in 1986. In fact, he was voted Austin’s funniest person ten years running by the Austin Chronicle.

Kerry Awn's work appeared prominently in Austin's The Rag and Houston's Space City, early underground papers, often featured on the cover of Space City.  During the heyday of the Armadillo World Headquarters, he created concert posters and handbills, many of which are archived in a collection at the Austin History Center. Kerry is a core member the Armadillo Art Squad.  The History Center collection includes posters that promoted shows at Austin venues such as the Roadhouse, Jovitas, The Ritz, Willies Steamboat, Armadillo World Headquarters, the Continental Club, Soap Creek Saloon, La Zona Rosa, Liberty Lunch, and the Velveeta Room.

Kerry Awn was inducted into the Austin Arts Hall of Fame in 2005 and has been recognized by the City of Austin and the State of Texas for his contributions to the arts.