BUDDY THE ORIGINAL MUSIC MAGAZINE JUNE 2015 VOLUME XXXXII, NUMBER 12 He did life his way, all the way Friends pay tribute on new Bugs Henderson: The King of Clubs: 1943-2012 By Tom Geddie SOME PEOPLE, WE JUST DON’T WANT played guitar with him for quite draw focus away from the doz- them to be gone. We remember them the best a few years. In 2000, Bugs mar- ens and dozens of first-rate songs S ried again and moved to Jefferson he composed.” Swe can. I interviewed and wrote about Bugs from the area. He and Some of those songs are fea- “Bugs was simply one of the Henderson several times. I would never claim a Patty have a daughter, Zoey, and tured here. family began to come first, fol- greatest and most venerated close friendship with him, but we talked privately lowed by making music and then Favorites from time to time at Moore’s Store in Ben Wheeler, career. PICKING FAVORITES IS AL- guitarists of the last where he’d sometimes play and sometimes stop by Not that family wasn’t always ways a questionable process be- part of his music, often right cause people’s tastes differ so 40 years. He always played for lunch on his way to and from his home in there on the stage with him. much, but let’s start with “Judy Jefferson. Executive producers Bill Allen Likes the Blues (she knows what the blues his way. He never I know — again, not well — enough for the blues, which are and Sherman Allen spent two it’s like to love and lose),” the last his second wife Patty, his young- at the heart of much of our best years making the tribute album, song on the second disc (not kowtowed to ‘The Blues Police,’ est daughter Zoey, and his first music, and his live performances recording disc one — The Cali- counting alternate takes of “Drug fornia Sessions” — with Chuck daughter Rose. I imagine I’ve met still blazed. Bugs and his “starva- Stores Blues: and “Hit the Bricks.” or to anyone. He was a Texan, Kavooras at SlideAway Music his granddaughter Miley, al- tion box” — the red guitar — The reason to start with this Studio in Shadow Hills, Califor- after all.” though I’m not sure. wandered for years through good song is that his daughter, Rose, nia. Disc two — “The Texas Ses- It just seems wrong that he’s times and bad — mostly good — sings it, and his granddaughter, –BILL ALLEN sions” was recorded in various Miley, offers a short, spoken-

gone. making some of the best electric

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ studios in Texas. word intro. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○ This is one reason I’ve been blues-rock on stages across the Sherman Allen’s back cover Plus, off that same disc, “Lost spending time with the tribute world. notes include: Texas as a tough in Austin,” sung by Marc Benno, “People work all week, and album, Bugs Henderson: The King Driving along Interstate 20 to Contributors proving ground for blues guitar. who also wrote the song, with take a piece of that money and of Clubs: 1943-2012. a doctor’s appointment in Dallas AMONG THE MANY OTHER “The undisputed virtuoso of Anson Funderburgh on lead gui- give it to you, and that’s a big The 23 faithful covers of songs in late January of 2012, Bugs contributors to the CD are lead Bugs wrote — and a handful he fire-breathing gui- tar. And “Anthem for the Blues” guitarists Michael Ault, Paul Reed deal to me. I want people to leave talked on his cell phone about tar, Bugs Henderson, held the — “she finally found someone to going, ‘My god, what was that!’ didn’t write, but often played — some of his realities. Smith, Billy Yates, and, on vocals are blues and blues-rock snip- top spot in The Lone Star State save her from the hell I put her (and, often, lead guitars), Teddy — to be flattened up against the pets of life, love, and love lost: His realities across a span of the decades, through” — with Jim Suhler on Andreadis, Mark Campbell, wall. That’s another reason I have often bewildering — “bewil- from pre-Beatles to pirated vocals and guitar. Sugar Ray Rayford, Vivian an excellent band; it would be AMONG HIS REALITIES IS MP3s,” Allen wrote, calling the From disc one: “Please Have easy to be anybody and play some dered” is a word that comes up in being tagged with expectations, Campbell, Kara Grainger, Kirk at least three of the songs — and “ferocity” of his playing “stun- Mercy” with Teresa James on “Eli” Fletcher guitar, Steve flashy guitar stuff and collect my 19 albums, countless shows with ning to behold.” vocals and Billy Watts on guitar; money and go.” sometimes emotionally trying his Shuffle Kings band, and sur- Lukather, Lance Lopez, Josh times. “Bugs was simply one of the “The Road,” a sly take on hazards Smith, Snuffy Walden, Tommy He quit trying to define his viving heart surgery and early greatest and most venerated blues of the music business that we music. Bugs did life his way all the substance abuse. He lost his first, Kay, , Junior guitarists of the last 40 years. He seem to love, uh huh, sung by Clark, the Jimmy Wallace Guitar “I just play it,” he said. “We way. A few years ago, he slowed beloved wife, Duchess, after 30 down just enough to walk always played the blues his way. Ray Wylie Hubbard with Army, and the Stratoblasters. just call it American Music, and years, to cancer. through the literal and figurative He never kowtowed to ‘The Blues Sherman Allen on guitar; and On various instruments, ad- that’s what it is — all of the He has four older children — gardens of Northeast Texas and Police,’ or to anyone. He was a “Cowboy,” hoping for time to ditional familiar names sprinkle American influences: blues, Shawn, Buddy, Cody, and Rose to stop just long enough — not Texan, after all,” Allen wrote. live childhood dreams, with throughout the recordings in- country, jazz, rock, and all that. — who have sat in with him on too often — to smell the roses. “His blistering guitar playing Kenny Lee Lewis on vocals and cluding — certainly not limited I look back on the people who stage from time to time; Buddy was overwhelming; it tended to Jimmy Vivino on guitars. to — Bobby Chitwood, Kirby influenced my playing the most: The accolades Kelley, Tim the Ventures, Chet Atkins, James ALONG THE WAY, HE PICKED Alexander, Burton, all the Kings (Freddie up his share of well-earned acco- Ronnie Weiss, and Albert and B.B.), and Link lades. Lynn Groom, Wray. You can either play or you Guitar One called him “The Bob Gentry, can’t. world’s greatest unknown guitar Brady Mosher, “There are some blues guys player,” commenting, “He can and Milo who play very economical and flat out blow most pickers away. Deering. One of play the one or two notes that fit Bugs will fry the skin off your Bugs’ sons, a song just perfect. But that’s not butt with his monster chops and Buddy all there is to it. There are mo- fatback tone.” Henderson, ments when you feel like blaz- Guitar Player Magazine wrote, adds drums to ing. There are moments when “Bugs Henderson should be de- “Love Jones.” you feel like playing very little.” clared a national treasure.” Bugs told me Bugs considered himself Blues News in Germany called that he once lucky. him “the prototype of the brutal “thought any- “I was married to an incred- Texan guitarist who takes no body who didn’t ible woman for 30 years who prisoners.” play the blues understood the business and the Then, there’s Bugs’ personal was an idiot” kind of person I was,” he said in favorite, from Living Blues, “strug- until he started another conversation. gling to reach basic musical com- hearing music “I was blessed to have her, petence.” he already knew and then I lost her and discov- He’s played with and influ- and realized he ered another woman a couple of enced the likes of good friend had limited my- years later who seems made for Freddie King, B.B King, Eric self and that he me. Clapton, Ted Nugent, Roy wasn’t moving “And I have a great family. I Buchanan, James Burton, and forward at all. don’t deserve all this happiness. many others. “I like to hear That sounds like BS, but my life Bugs was near 70 years old something I did is so blessed. I live so much when he died of liver cancer. a year ago, and better than I ever thought I Some people said that’s too old think that it’s would. for rock ’n’ roll, but that’s non- bad — because “Success and happiness are sense; in 2010, he was still doing I’ve learned so meaningless if you don’t know 150 shows a year. much that I’ve you have it. I know it. I’m well ■ He was just seasoned well He was inducted as a Buddy Texas Tornado in 1978: Bugs Henderson advanced. aware of how good I have it.” 10 BUDDY JUNE 2015