SteelDriver and Chris Stapleton Songwriter Mike Henderson Has Died
Singer, songwriter, guitarist, fiddle and mandolin player, and by all accounts overall good guy Mike Henderson has passed away. From being a side player and studio musician, to venturing out as a solo performer, to helping found The SteelDrivers and co-writing some of Chris Stapleton’s most iconic songs, Henderson did it just about all in country music. Now country music is mourning his loss at the age of 70.
Even if you haven’t heard of Mike Henderson, you most certainly have heard his work. Among other songs, Mike Henderson wrote “Broken Halos” with Chris Stapleton, which went on to win Song of the Year from the CMA in 2018, as well as the Grammy’s “Best Country Song.” He’d win another Song of the Year CMA in 2021 with Stapleton for “Starting Over.”
These awards were the culmination of a lifetime of hard work and dedication in the music business that wasn’t always recognized accordingly. Born in Independence, Missouri in 1953, Henderson’s career started out in a local blues band called The Bell Airs. In 1985 he moved to Nashville and began playing in the local bands The Roosters and The Kingsnakes at places like The Bluebird Cafe. The Kingsnakes eventually signed to Curb Records, but failed to find major success.
It’s when The Fabulous Thunderbirds out of Texas recorded Henderson’s song “Powerful Stuff” that was featured in the hit movie Cocktail that Henderson started making waves in the national scene. EMI hired him on as a songwriter, and artists such as Trisha Yearwood, Gary Allan, Patty Loveless, and the [Dixie] Chicks covered his songs. To supplant his income, Henderson also did studio work, appearing on albums from Emmylou Harris, Kelly Willis, and others.
It was due to his continued success that Mike Henderson was eventually signed to RCA Nashville, and released his debut album Country Music Made Me Do It in 1994. Despite positive reviews, Henderson was eventually dropped. He was later responsible for helping to found Dead Reckoning Records with Kieran Kane, Kevin Welch, “Handsome” Harry Stinson, and Tammy Rogers—the latter of whom Henderson also went on to found the SteelDrivers with in 2005.
After releasing numerous solo albums on Dead Reckoning Records, Henderson focused more on his songwriting and side playing, including touring with Mark Knopfler in 2001. Mike Henderson and Chris Stapleton started writing together a few years before the formation of the SteelDrivers, which really helped seed the soulful style of country that Chris Stapleton eventually would take to the very top of the country genre.
Stapleton left The SteelDrivers in 2010, and Henderson left in 2011. But Stapleton continued to call of Henderson as a co-writer. It was this songwriting collaboration that helped launch the Chris Stapleton phenomenon.
Being skilled both as a writer and musician in blues, bluegrass, as well as country gave Henderson incredible latitude as a collaborator. He recently worked with Dale Watson on his new bluesy album Starvation Box, and co-wrote the title track with Dale.
Mike Henderson was one of those guys who helped influence the music in a very positive direction, often behind-the-scenes, and often to little recognition. But before he passed on September 22nd, he did get to relish in the recognition at the very top of the genre via CMA and Grammy wins for songs that helped reshape that paradigm in country music to the positive.
September 23, 2023 @ 9:32 am
RIP Mike.
September 29, 2023 @ 7:56 pm
I always remember him hiking his leg over the neck of his guitar during the slide solo on Kevin Welch’s “Til I See You Again”, one of the baddest country tunes ever committed to tape.
September 23, 2023 @ 9:52 am
Mike Henderson popped onto my musical radar when he released “Country Music Made Me Do It” in 1994. I recall CMT playing the music video and bought the album. I don’t believe the song clicked with the commercial country radio market. His guitar playing and authentic voice were top notch. Being a Stevie Ray Vaughan fan, I followed Mike when he delved into the blues genre with “Blue Blood.” I also bought the first Steeldrivers album, not only due to the songs and vocals, but because Mike Henderson was a major part of the band. My musical tastes are still the same, but I kinda lost track of Henderson’s recent activities. And now to read that Mike Henderson has passed. Sad… what an amazing talent! Godspeed on angel’s wings!
September 23, 2023 @ 12:34 pm
I, too, lost track of Mike after his first solo albums. i didn’t even know he collaborated with Chris Stapleton so the article’s headline threw me off at first (i.e. I started reading and assumed I wouldn’t know the person).
Country Music Made Me Do It was one of my favorite albums of the 90s across any genre. Fountain of Youth, Hillbilly Jitters, the title tracker, Restless Kind (covered and used as an album’s title track by Travis Tritt in ’96). I would rank it with any mainstream country album from 1990-1996.
He also played guitar on Kevin Welch’s self-titled debut, another hidden gem from the early 90s. Speaking of CMT, the video for True Love Never Dies, a staple on the channel’s playlists, shows Kevin and Mike stranded in the middle of nowhere after running out of gas.
His follow-up album, Edge of Night, had a very different feel and contained a bunch of covers, but still was a great effort and draws from a variety of musical fountains. The title track, Wherever You Are, One Foot in the Honky Tonk.were my favorite originals.
My condolences to his family and friends. Thank you, Mike, for the great music.
September 23, 2023 @ 10:00 am
“It’s all up to you, Henderson…”
Mike Henderson was a an extraordinary musician and songwriter. First heard him through his work with Kevin Welch and then subsequently as a member of the Steeldrivers, his own solo efforts, Monday nights at the Bluebird, and Chris Stapleton’s favorite songwriting partner.
I remember a night at the old Handlebar in Greenville, SC. It was literally storming to beat the band. Mike led the Dead Reckoners through a raucous rendition of “If You Think It’s Hot Here Just Wait Until The Pearly Gates Close” as lightning provided the footlights and thunder the reverb, smiling the whole time.
Our soundtrack just lost some volume…
September 23, 2023 @ 10:10 am
Co-wrote “Where Rainbows Never Die” and played the mandolin on “Heaven Sent”, two all-time favorites of mine. Thanks, Mike! RIP
September 23, 2023 @ 11:36 am
Thought his albums were great. Didn’t get the recognition his talent deserved but a great career in music. A sad loss. RIP.
September 23, 2023 @ 3:00 pm
That’s bad.
I got his first album/CD “Country Music Made Me Do It.” It had some great songs and high energy perrormances, including the title cut, and “Hillbilly Jitters” and “The Restless Kind,” which was then covered by Travis Tritt as the title cut for his next CD.
I’d have thought he was younger. If he was 70, then that puts him at around 40 when his debut CD was issued. That’s probably why the label dropped him immediately when it failed to produce a hit right out of the box.
September 23, 2023 @ 4:39 pm
Really under-rated musician and songwriter. I first got to know go on his solo release under Mike Henderson and the Bluebloods. Though he only a functional singer, he was an awesome slide guitar player. And I could never allow myself to trade-in that particular CD. It rocked then, and it still rocks today. He later became a key member of The Steeldrivers, as mentioned above, and a valued songwriting partner with Chris Stapleton. RIP Dude. You were an awesome musician and songwriter!
September 23, 2023 @ 6:50 pm
Well while not a star, it seems he had a pretty good career in the business even if a lot of it was behind the scenes. Making it to 70 isn’t bad though I know most want more especially usually those left behind. May he rest in peace.
September 24, 2023 @ 12:33 pm
R.i.p., a good force in our music indeed.
As a side note the new SteelDrivers album ain’t half bad.
September 24, 2023 @ 1:46 pm
Thanks, Trig
This is another sad passage for our country music community
September 24, 2023 @ 4:52 pm
Talking strictly Hendersons contributions to The Steeldrivers: first of all, killer band with at one point the total package. Instrumentally, that band is fire. Tammy Roger’s fiddling, Richard’s extremely melodic banjo runs and Mike Henderson on dobro was dynamite. Of course the vocals of Stapleton put them over the top, BUT….the SONGWRITING combo of Henderson and Stapleton was out of the park. Henderson had such a creative influence on Stapleton, the songs were SO good. Peacemaker, Can You Run, Good Corn Liquor, Guitars Whiskey Guns and Knives, Heaven Sent, Sticks that Made Thunder, Midnight Train To Memphis and all the others…man my head spins thinking about it. I always hoped one day Stapleton and Henderson would whip out a new batch of songs like those and maybe Chris would revisit that style, but it largely never happened. Nonetheless, we have that magnificent body of work preserved and Mike Henderson made it happen.
September 25, 2023 @ 7:07 am
I was researching Mike Henderson on YouTube after first hearing him at the Bluebird Cafe on our first trip to Nashville about 12 years ago. I came across the live video performance of the Blue Bloods doing “When I Get Drunk”. Wow that blew my mind, anyone who hasn’t seen it should check it out. Mike has that guitar tuned down a full 2 steps in the E open tuning making it the key of C. What tone and what an awesome slide player and to top it off Reese Wynan on the key boards! Following Mike alot after that discovery I noticed that he used that tuning alot. What an incredible talent, just loved that guy, was hoping to hear many more years of music from him, so sad. RIP Mike
September 27, 2023 @ 7:28 pm
Remember seeing Mike play with Fleming and Forest Rose as part of the Hell Band in Columbia MO in the mid 70’s.
What a blast it was at Gladstone’s, Brief Encounter, just about every park in Columbia.
Passing way too early; man, time flies.