Shane Henry - Deliverance (2004)

Singer/songwriter and guitarist Shane Henry is an up and comer who made waves in the blues world with his 2004 debut for Shanachie Records, Deliverance. Henry was introduced to the blues when he was 15 and his father took him to see B.B. King in concert. Henry was struck by the music that night and it changed his life, not long after, he purchased an electric guitar and began soaking up the sounds of King, Albert Collins, Buddy Guy, and Johnny Winter, learning all he could from the sounds they were producing on guitar. A year later, Henry released his own, self-recorded album of his own songs, then met Kevin Bowe, whom he began collaborating with at Bowe's studio. Known by his reputation for putting on fiery, energetic live shows all over Oklahoma and Texas, Henry is joined on his debut by Double Trouble drummer Chris Layton and bassist Tommy Shannon, as well as his own guitar playing heroes, Jonny Lang and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Henry offers all original songs on Deliverance, save for one cover tune, a rolling and rocking interpretation of Muddy Waters' "Forty Days and Forty Nights." After opening up on a national tour for B.B. King and Buddy Guy, Henry caught the attention of Shanachie Entertainment's GM, Randall Grass. "There are a lot of guys who can play hot lead guitar; there are fewer who can really sing and even fewer who can also write strong songs; Shane Henry, at a young age, does all three very well, which is very special." Now based in Oklahoma City, Henry is working on a new album and continues to tour mostly in Oklahoma, Texas, and throughout the South. Says road veteran Kim Wilson of the Fabulous Thunderbirds: "Shane's a young up-and-comer who has a lot to say. Listen up!" ~ Richard Skelly