ArtistInfo

Chris Henry

man, bj,
Country

Bluegrass Mandolin player Chris Henry, the son of noted bluegrass veterans Red and Murphy Henry. Grew up in the bluegrass and folk circles.,His band is called Chris Henry and Hardcore Grass, Being raised by two remarkable musicians had its advantages, among them being taught by masters. The young Henry began playing mandolin as a four year old (though he made his first bluegrass festival appearance at the age of three playing a ukulele.) Back in Virginia in 2001, he began work on his first full length mandolin album titled, Mandolumination, a combination of traditional hardcore bluegrass mandolin, mixed with his interest in eastern intervals.Honed his bluegrass chops being a frontman and lead singer for Dalton Brill and the Wildcats, a favorite local bluegrass band. In 2003, Henry decided it was time to join his sister in Nashville with dreams to play bluegrass full time. He was hired shortly after moving to town to pick mandolin and sing tenor with 1946, a retro-style bluegrass band. After a year with 1946, and a year with Audie Blaylock and Redline, Henry and his sister Casey formed a band called Casey and Chris and the Two-Stringers, and recorded a CD with many of his original songs. He followed with a mandolin album which made the long nomination list for IBMA’s Instrumental Album of the Year. Henry has become one of the most respected traditional bluegrass musicians in Nashville. The family band traveled abroad in 2007 to perform at the Scotland Bluegrass Festival. Returning to Nashville in early 2011, he started working on what would become his album, Burns Station. It is a Telecaster-based album that features 11 original songs, one original mandolin instrumental, and a Gamble Rogers cover. This album was well received in Nashville by his peers. His song “Walkin’ West to Memphis” was recorded by the Gibson Brothers and went on to be a top five hit and was nominated for IBMA and SPGBMA Song of the Year. In 2012, Henry was offered an opportunity to host a weekly bluegrass night in Nashville at Bootleggers Inn. This night has become one of the favorite places for bluegrass in Nashville for musicians to congregate and perform, and for fans to listen and enjoy the atmosphere. He debuted the first bluegrass band he has led, Chris Henry and the Hardcore Grass, and quickly gained a supportive local following over the next year and a half. In 2014 the band was the California Bluegrass Association’s Emerging Artist of the Year . The band was selected to be official IBMA showcase artists in 2015. Chris Henry Awards Nominations IBMA Mandolin Player of the Year – second round nomination IBMA Instrumental Album of the Year – second round nomination IBMA Song of the Year Nomination for “Walking West to Memphis” SPBGMA Song of the Year Nomination for “Walking West to Memphis”

Instruments

• Mandolin
• Banjo

Plays With

ArtistInfo App

Acknowledgements

ArtistInfo for Mac, iPad, and iPhone