Henry Gray (blues musician)
Henry Gray (born January 19, 1925 in Kenner , Louisiana , † February 17, 2020 in Baton Rouge , Louisiana) was an American blues pianist.
At age 16, Gray played in a band in Alsen near Baton Rouge , where his family had moved. During his military service in World War II, he maintained his unit with music.
After the war, Gray went to Chicago , where he played piano in clubs. Big Maceo Merriweather noticed him and became his mentor. Soon Gray was one of the most sought-after pianists on the Chicago blues scene. He accompanied several well-known colleagues live and during recordings, including Muddy Waters , Elmore James , BB King , Jimmy Reed , Little Walter , Bo Diddley , Jimmy Rogers , Billy Boy Arnold , Morris Pejoe and many others.
In 1956 Gray became a pianist in Howlin 'Wolf's band . In 1968 he returned to Alsen to support his mother after his father's death. He worked as a roofer, but also remained active as a musician. He has appeared at numerous festivals such as the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival , the Chicago Blues Festival , the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal and many others, including in Europe.
In 1988 Gray's first solo album, Lucky Man, was released . In 1998 Gray was nominated for a Grammy . Volume 1 of The Henry Gray / Bob Corritore Sessions was released in 2015 with 14 recordings by the two musicians from 1996 to 2015.
Web links
- Site of Henry Gray (Engl.)
- Biography at Allmusic Guide (engl.)
- Jack Barlow: Henry Gray obituary. The Guardian, February 24, 2020, accessed March 24, 2020 .
Individual evidence
- ^ Blues singer, Henry Gray, dies at 95. In: wbrz.com. wbrz.com, February 17, 2020, accessed on February 20, 2020 .
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Gray, Henry |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American blues musician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 19, 1925 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Kenner , Louisiana |
| DATE OF DEATH | 17th February 2020 |
| Place of death | Baton Rouge , Louisiana |