Jimmy Henley

James V. "Jimmy" Henley (September 2, 1963 - March 22, 2020) was an American banjo player who played bluegrass music. He won several banjo contests as a young boy. As a young boy he met country music star Roy Clark at the New Mexico State Fair and Clark invited him to perform on National television.

Jimmy Henley
Background information
Birth nameJames V. Henley
BornSeptember 2, 1963
Hobbs, New Mexico US
DiedMarch 22, 2020(2020-03-22) (aged 57)
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
GenresBluegrass music
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Banjo
Years active1970-2020
Formerly ofJimmy Henley and A Touch of Grass

Early life

He was born and raised in Hobbs, New Mexico. When he was seven years old he won the Junior Division of the National Bluegrass Banjo Championship at Bill Grant’s Bluegrass Festival in Hugo, Oklahoma. At ten years old he won the World Bluegrass Banjo Championship in Memphis, Tennessee.[1]

Career

After his contest-winning success performing banjo as a child, multi-instrumentalist Roy Clark met Henley at the New Mexico State Fair.[2] He then appeared on the television show Hee Haw and on many other nationally televised programs, including The Mike Douglas Show, the Merv Griffin Show, the Tonight Show. Later he toured with Roy Clark.[2] In 2007 he was touring with his band "Jimmy Henley and A Touch of Grass".[3]

On March 22, 2020 he died of throat cancer at his home in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.[1]

Legacy

The guitarist John 5 has claimed Jimmy Henley as one of his inspirations.[4] When John 5 was seven years old he watched Jimmy Henley play banjo on the family variety show Hee Haw. In an interview John 5 said, "It's crazy there's this exact moment when I realized I wanted to play, it changed my life."[5]

References
  1. Thompson, Richard (1 April 2020). "Jimmy Henley passes". Bluegrass Today. Archived from the original on 2 December 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  2. "Banjo virtuoso, 'Hee Haw' performer Jimmy Henley dies". Tulsa World. 26 March 2020. Archived from the original on 27 March 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  3. "Sanders Family Bluegrass Festival set". The Ada News. 24 May 2007. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  4. Abbate, Mauro (28 October 2022). "Who is John 5, the guitarist who replaced Mick Mars in Mötley Crüe". Notizie Musica. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  5. Tulloch, Katrina (10 January 2018). "Guitarist John 5 plans Valentine's Day shredfest at Lost Horizon". Syracuse. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
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