McKenna grew up in Philadelphia , studied guitar and started playing the saxophone at the age of fourteen. After completing his studies at the Granoff School of Music , which he started in 1956 , he initially played with local bands; ; at eighteen, he went on a tour of the East Coast with a Philadelphia quintet. At the age of 21 he became a member of the Woody Herman Orchestra in 1959 , in 1962 he was with George Young in Wildwood, New Jersey and in Las Vegas. In 1970 he played at Al Raymond. Since the early 1970s, he mainly performed in the Philadelphia area and taught at Temple University, the University of the Arts and West Chester University. Since 1996 he has released two albums under his own name, including a tribute album dedicated to composer Harold Arlen ( My Shining Hour ). He also participated in recordings by musicians such as Don Glanden , Frank Tiberi , Al Raymond / Buddy DeFranco , Woody Herman and John Swana .