 Kirchen was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut but grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan where he attended Ann Arbor High School and learned to play the trombone.He met a folksinger named David Siglin, long-time manager of local folk music venue The Ark, and joined the local folk scene.While learning to play banjo and guitar, his musical interest began to extend beyond folk music and included the blues and various string bands.