Mike Henderson

For the American politician, see Mike Henderson (politician).

Mike Henderson
Birth nameMichael James Henderson
Born(1953-07-14)July 14, 1953
Independence, Missouri, U.S.
Died (aged 70)
GenresCountry, blues, bluegrass
OccupationSinger-songwriter
Instrument(s)Guitar, mandolin, fiddle, harmonica
Years active1981–2023
LabelsRCA Nashville, Dead Reckoning
Formerly ofThe SteelDrivers
Websitewww.mikehenderson.com

Michael James Henderson (July 14, 1953 – September 22, 2023)[1][2] was an American singer-songwriter. In addition to his solo career, which included five studio albums, Henderson was a member of the country band The SteelDrivers from 2005 to 2011 and was a songwriting collaborator of his former SteelDrivers bandmate Chris Stapleton.

Biography

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Early life and career

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Henderson was born in Independence, Missouri, in 1953.[3][4] He was an original member of blues group the Bel Airs when they formed in Missouri in 1981.[5][6] They released an album, Need Me a Car, on Blind Pig Records in 1984.[5][7] Henderson left the band in 1985 and moved to Nashville.[5][8] The following year, he joined the roots rock band The Roosters.[8] He was also a member of spin-off band The Kingsnakes.[8] The Kingsnakes began playing weekly at the Bluebird Cafe in July 1986.[9] They shortened their name to The Snakes when they were signed by Curb Records.[9] An album, The Snakes, was released by Curb in 1989.[10]

In 1988, The Fabulous Thunderbirds covered "Powerful Stuff", a song Henderson had written for The Snakes, for the soundtrack to the film Cocktail.[8][11] Henderson later became a staff songwriter for EMI.[7] His songs have been recorded by the Dixie Chicks, Trisha Yearwood, Gary Allan and Patty Loveless, among others.[12][13] Henderson also found work in Nashville as a slide guitarist.[14] He played on albums by Emmylou Harris, John Hiatt, Joy Lynn White and Kelly Willis.[8][13]

Country Music Made Me Do It

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Henderson's demos drew the attention of country music label RCA Nashville.[7] RCA signed Henderson and released his solo debut album, Country Music Made Me Do It, in March 1994.[15] Bob Cannon of Entertainment Weekly gave the album an A− grade, writing that Henderson's "enthusiastic field holler and his guitar's riveting twang give off enough sparks to ignite [the songs]."[16] Dan Kening of the Chicago Tribune gave the album three and a half stars, saying that "Henderson downplays his guitar chops on his first solo album in favor of his songwriting and strong vocals and acquits himself admirably."[17] The album also received a favorable review from Peter Cronin of Billboard, who declared that "Henderson comes to the party with plenty of attitude and a distinctive point of view."[18]

The album's first single, "Hillbilly Jitters", peaked at number 69 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.[4] When subsequent singles "The Want To" and "If the Jukebox Took Teardrops" failed to chart, Henderson was dropped by the label.[19] "If the Jukebox Took Teardrops" was later a minor chart hit for Danni Leigh in 1998.[20]

Edge of Night

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After being dropped by RCA, Henderson founded the label Dead Reckoning Records with Kieran Kane, Kevin Welch, Tammy Rogers and Harry Stinson.[19] His second album, Edge of Night, was released by Dead Reckoning in January 1996.[7][21] The video for the first single, a cover of Eddy Clearwater's "I Wouldn't Lay My Guitar Down", was added by CMT in February 1996.[22] Tony Scherman of Entertainment Weekly gave the album a B+ grade, writing that Henderson is "a good songwriter, even if he wears his influences a little too plainly."[23] Parry Gettelman of the Orlando Sentinel gave the album five stars, stating that Henderson's "strong, slightly sandpapery voice is as soulful as it is twangy."[24] Chet Flippo of Billboard also reviewed the album favorably, saying that "Henderson manages to sound at once world-weary and exuberant in a solid lineup of original material and country chestnuts."[25]

First Blood

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Later in 1996, Henderson formed the blues band Mike Henderson & the Bluebloods with Reese Wynans on piano, Glenn Worf on bass and John Gardner on drums.[7][14] They released the album First Blood in October 1996 on Dead Reckoning.[26][27] Mark Knopfler wrote the album's liner notes.[28] Alanna Nash of Entertainment Weekly gave the album an A grade, writing that "First Blood's blistering, seamless blues covers prove [Henderson]'s a remarkable guitarist and frontman."[29] A review in People stated that "when the combination of piano, bass, drums and electric guitar is as neck-snappingly strong as it is on the Bluebloods' first album, you don't need other instruments, original compositions or even many original ideas to deliver a knockout blow."[30] Linda Ray of No Depression also gave the album a positive review, praising Henderson's "masterful guitar and vocals" and saying that "the way he plays that slide is likely illegal in several states."[28] The song "Pay Bo Diddley" received some radio airplay.[14]

Thicker Than Water

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Mike Henderson & the Bluebloods released their second album, Thicker Than Water, in January 1999 with John Barlow Jarvis replacing Reese Wynans on piano.[31] Becky Byrkit of AllMusic gave the album four stars out of five, writing that "Henderson contributes a particularly clear vocal style with plenty of simultaneous character from both the blues and true-blue country music."[31] The album received a mixed review in People, which praised Jarvis' "richly layered, hard-driving solos" but compared Henderson's vocals to "the white-guy-trying-to-sound-soulful desperation of Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi in their Blues Brothers mode."[32] Ed Kopp of All About Jazz gave the album a positive review, saying that "leader Mike Henderson is a highly capable slide guitarist, harpist, and singer, but the guy who makes this CD extra special is John Jarvis."[33] Tim Steil of the Chicago Tribune also gave the album a favorable review, stating that "whether playing Hound Dog Taylor-ish slide, or blowing harp lines that would make Little Walter smile, Henderson deftly conjures the sound of '50s Chicago."[34]

Later career

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Henderson toured with Mark Knopfler on his 2001 Sailing to Philadelphia Tour.[8][12] In 2008, Henderson was one of the founding members of bluegrass group The SteelDrivers.[35] He played mandolin, resophonic guitar and harmonica and co-wrote most of the band's original songs.[36] The SteelDrivers' 2010 album Reckless was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2011.[37] Henderson left The SteelDrivers in December 2011.[38]

Adele performed Henderson's song "If It Hadn't Been for Love" for her 2011 DVD Live at the Royal Albert Hall.[12]

Henderson continued to play weekly shows at the Bluebird Cafe with the Mike Henderson Band.[9][12]

Death

[edit]

Mike Henderson died unexpectedly in his sleep on September 22, 2023, at the age of 70.[1][2][39]

Discography

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Albums

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Title Released Label
Country Music Made Me Do It
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Fountain of Youth"
  • Mike Henderson
  • John Ivan
2:31
2."The Want To"
3:08
3."Hillbilly Jitters"
  • Mike Henderson
  • Wally Wilson
3:37
4."Prisoner's Tears"
3:16
5."Wishful Thinkin'"
  • Mike Henderson
  • Wally Wilson
3:15
6."Country Music Made Me Do It"
  • Mike Henderson
  • Wally Wilson
2:58
7."The Restless Kind"Mike Henderson3:23
8."That Train Don't Stop Here Anymore"
2:57
9."That's How I Remember You"
  • Mike Henderson
  • Wally Wilson
2:43
10."If the Jukebox Took Teardrops"
  • Mike Henderson
  • Mark Irwin
2:19
Total length:30:07
 March 15, 1994 RCA Nashville
Edge of Night
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I Wouldn't Lay My Guitar Down"Eddy Clearwater2:28
2."Wherever You Are"
3:45
3."Nobody's Fault But Mine"Traditional2:39
4."The Edge of Night"
  • Mike Henderson
  • Charlie White
4:19
5."One Foot in the Honky Tonk"
3:03
6."This May Be the Last Time"Roebuck "Pops" Staples3:58
7."(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care"
2:27
8."Honky Tonk Vacation (Tribute to Waylon)"
  • Mike Henderson
  • Wally Wilson
2:53
9."This Property Is Condemned"
  • Mike Henderson
  • Wally Wilson
3:53
10."Take Me Back and Try Me"Ernest Tubb2:20
11."Drivin' Nails in My Coffin"Jerry Irby2:42
Total length:34:27
 January 16, 1996 Dead Reckoning Records
First Blood (Mike Henderson & the Bluebloods)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."When I Get Drunk"(unknown artist)5:56
2."So Sad to Be Lonesome"Sonny Boy Williamson II4:19
3."Hip Shakin'"Joseph Benjamin Hutto4:04
4."Pony Blues"Charley Patton5:46
5."Bloody Murder"Otis Spann5:04
6."Pay Bo Diddley"
5:07
7."When The Welfare Turns It's Back On You"
  • Lucious Weaver
  • Sonny Thompson
4:56
8."Give Me Back My Wig"Theodore Roosevelt Taylor4:18
9."How Many More Years"Chester Burnett4:44
10."Mean Mistreater"Elmore James4:28
Total length:48:42
 October 15, 1996 Dead Reckoning Records
Thicker Than Water (Mike Henderson & the Bluebloods)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Keep What You've Got"Stanley Lewis3:34
2."Wouldn't Lay My Guitar Down"Edward Harrington3:14
3."Whiskey Store"
3:35
4."I Need Me a Car"Stanley Lewis4:24
5."Tears Like a River"
  • Mike Henderson
  • Glenn Worf
4:30
6."Scared of That Child"Sonny Boy Williamson II3:08
7."All My Money's Gone"
  • Mike Henderson
  • Glenn Worf
4:39
8."Mister Downchild"Sonny Boy Williamson II5:11
9."Angel of Mercy"
  • Mike Henderson
  • Bruce McCabe
5:29
10."Slow Your Motor Down"
  • Mike Henderson
  • Glenn Worf
4:09
11."Uranium Rock"Warren Smith3:41
12."My Country Sugar Mama"Chester Arthur Burnett4:18
Total length:49:52
 January 12, 1999 Dead Reckoning Records
If You Think It's Hot Here… (The Mike Henderson Band)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I Want To Know Why"Mike Henderson4:28
2."Send You Back To Georgia"Theodore Taylor4:22
3."It's Alright"Theodore Taylor3:55
4."If You Think It's Hot Here"
  • Mike Henderson
  • Robert Stockton Field
5:57
5."Weepin' And Moanin'"Mike Henderson5:39
6."Mean Red Spider"McKinley Morganfield4:48
7."Possession"Robert Johnson6:37
8."Unseen Eye"Sonny Boy Williamson II5:00
9."Matchbox"Carl Perkins3:05
10."Gambling Blues"Melvin Jackson5:37
11."Rock House Blues"Mike Henderson2:02
Total length:51:30
 January 20, 2015 Ellersoul

Singles

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Year Single Peak positions Album
US Country
[40]
1994 "Hillbilly Jitters" 69 Country Music Made Me Do It
"The Want To" —
"If the Jukebox Took Teardrops" —
1996 "I Wouldn't Lay My Guitar Down" — Edge of Night
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Music videos

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Year Video
1994 "Hillbilly Jitters"
1996 "I Wouldn't Lay My Guitar Down"

Awards and nominations

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Year Ceremony Category Recipient/Work Result Ref
2018 Grammy Awards Best Country Song Mike Henderson, Chris Stapleton – "Broken Halos" Won
[41]
2018 Country Music Association Awards Song of the Year Mike Henderson, Chris Stapleton – "Broken Halos" Won
[42]
2021 Country Music Association Awards Song of the Year Mike Henderson, Chris Stapleton – "Starting Over" Won
[43]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Thompson, Richard (September 29, 2023). "Mike Henderson passes". Bluegrass Today. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Michael Henderson Obituary". The Kansas City Star. September 26, 2023. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  3. ^ Gray, Michael (1998). "Mike Henderson". In Kingsbury, Paul (ed.). The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Oxford University Press. p. 236. ISBN 978-0-19-977055-7. OCLC 707922721.
  4. ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 186. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
  5. ^ a b c "The Bel Airs Bio". The Bel Airs. Archived from the original on April 1, 2016. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  6. ^ Himes, Geoffrey (March 5, 1999). "MIKE HENDERSON & THE BLUEBLOODS "Thicker Than Water" Dead Reckoning". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on June 11, 2014. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  7. ^ a b c d e Sherman, Jim (January 16, 1997). "Aw, Twern't Nuthin'". Houston Press. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  8. ^ a b c d e f "Mike Henderson Bio". Mike Henderson. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  9. ^ a b c "About | The Bluebird Cafe". Bluebird Cafe. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  10. ^ "The Snakes – The Snakes". AllMusic. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  11. ^ Galipault, Gerry (January 10, 1999). "Mike Henderson & The Bluebloods swing the blues". Pause & Play. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  12. ^ a b c d Cooper, Peter (November 17, 2011). "Peter Cooper on Music: A mandolin player ZZ Top can love". The Tennessean. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  13. ^ a b "Mike Henderson | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  14. ^ a b c Skelly, Richard. "Mike Henderson | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  15. ^ "Country Music Made Me Do It – Mike Henderson". AllMusic. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  16. ^ Cannon, Bob (May 6, 1994). "Country Music Made Me Do It Review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on February 12, 2014. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  17. ^ Kening, Dan (May 12, 1994). "Mike Henderson Country Music Made Me Do It (RCA)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  18. ^ Cronin, Peter (March 26, 1994). "Album Reviews". Billboard. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  19. ^ a b Margasak, Peter (April 11, 1996). "Mike Henderson". Chicago Reader. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  20. ^ "29 Nights – Danni Leigh". AllMusic. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  21. ^ "Edge of Night – Mike Henderson". AllMusic. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  22. ^ "Billboard Video Monitor". Billboard. March 2, 1996. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  23. ^ Scherman, Tony (January 19, 1996). "Edge of Night Review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on December 3, 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  24. ^ Gettelman, Parry (January 26, 1996). "Mike Henderson". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  25. ^ Flippo, Chet (January 27, 1996). "Reviews & Previews". Billboard. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  26. ^ "First Blood – Mike Henderson & The Bluebloods". AllMusic. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  27. ^ Margasak, Peter (January 9, 1997). "Mike Henderson & the Bluebloods". Chicago Reader. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  28. ^ a b Ray, Linda (March 1997). "Mike Henderson & The Bluebloods – First Blood". No Depression. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  29. ^ Nash, Alanna (October 18, 1996). "First Blood Review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 25, 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  30. ^ "Picks and Pans Review: First Blood". People. December 9, 1996. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  31. ^ a b Byrkit, Becky. "Thicker Than Water – Mike Henderson & The Bluebloods". AllMusic. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  32. ^ "Picks and Pans Review: Thicker Than Water". People. January 25, 1999. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  33. ^ Kopp, Ed (August 1, 1999). "Mike Henderson and the Bluebloods: Thicker Than Water". All About Jazz. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  34. ^ Steil, Tom (January 17, 1999). "Mike Henderson and the Bluebloods Thicker Than Water". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  35. ^ Lupton, John (January 2008). "The SteelDrivers put blue in bluegrass". Country Standard Time. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  36. ^ poet, j. "Reckless – SteelDrivers". AllMusic. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  37. ^ "Five artists under the radar at the Grammys". USA Today. February 7, 2011. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  38. ^ Lawless, John (December 21, 2011). "Mike Henderson moves on". Bluegrass Today. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  39. ^ Hudak, Joseph (September 22, 2023). "Mike Henderson, Chris Stapleton Co-Writer and the SteelDrivers Founder, Dead at 70". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  40. ^ "Mike Henderson Album & Song Chart History – Country Songs". Billboard. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  41. ^ "60th Annual GRAMMY Awards | 2017 | GRAMMY.com". www.grammy.com. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  42. ^ "2018 CMA Award Winners". The CMA Awards. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
  43. ^ "CMA Awards Past Winners & Nominees". CMA Awards. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
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