Henry Gray

Henry Gray (January 19, 1925 – February 17, 2020) was an American blues piano player and singer born in Kenner, Louisiana. He played for more than seven decades and performed with many artists, including Robert Lockwood Jr., Billy Boy Arnold, Morris Pejoe, the Rolling Stones, Muddy Waters, and Howlin' Wolf. He has more than 58 albums to his credit, including recordings for Chess Records. He is credited as helping to create the distinctive sound of the Chicago blues piano.

In 2017, Gray was inducted in to the Blues Hall of Fame.

Early life and education Shortly after he was born, Gray, an only child, moved with his parents to a farm in Alsen, Louisiana, a few miles north of Baton Rouge, where he lived during his childhood. He began studying the piano at the age of eight, taking lessons from a neighborhood woman, Mrs. White. Gray also credits the radio and music records in his home for inspiring his love of music at an early age. A few years later, he began playing piano and organ at the local Baptist church, and his family eventually acquired a piano for the house. Playing the blues was not encouraged in his family, but Henry played blues at Mrs. White's house, and by the time he was 16 he was playing blues at a club in Alsen. His father initially disapproved of the job but became supportive after seeing how much money his son was making.

In 1943, during World War II, Gray joined the United States Army and was sent to the South Pacific. While in the Army, he would frequently entertain other soldiers by playing the piano and singing. Shortly before the war was over, Gray was given a medical discharge from the army. He returned to the United States in 1946 and spent a brief time in Alsen before relocating to Chicago, where he had relatives, including a new baby sister, Annette, born in 1951.

Career Chicago: 1946–1968 After arriving in Chicago, Gray began spending a great deal of his time in the growing postwar jazz and blues club scene. His first recording session was in 1952 with Jimmy Rogers. Gray also worked occasionally with Little Walter, who nicknamed the young pianist "Bird Breast".

In 1956, Gray joined Howlin' Wolf's band and was Wolf's main piano player for twelve years in performance and on recordings.

Louisiana: 1968–2019 Gray left Wolf's band in 1968 and returned to Alsen, Louisiana, due to the death of his father and to assist his mother with the family business, a fish market. Gray became an important part of Louisiana's music scene. His big, rollicking sound became part of the region's "swamp blues" style. In addition to performing, Gray worked with the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board as a roofer from 1968 to 1983.

Gray also continued to tour as a soloist and with his band Henry Gray and the Cats. He appeared in the 2015 documentary film I Am the Blues. In June 2017, Gray went into Dockside Studio with his great grandson DeAndre Tate and The Creole Cats band (Paul "Lil' Buck" Sinegal, Danny Williams, Stan Chambers, and Oreun Joubert) to record 92, aptly titled after his age. 92 was produced by Terrance Simien, Cynthia Simien, and Tate, and was engineered by Justin Tocket and mixed/mastered by DF Audio (David Farrell).

Personal life Gray suffered from alcoholism, but was sober for many years during his later life.

In 1989, his home in the Baton Rouge area was destroyed by a tornado.

Following surgery for a collapsed lung, Gray experienced a mild heart attack on February 20, 2017, at age 92. Despite this double health scare, Henry Gray continued playing the blues. On October 10, 2019, it was confirmed by Gray's family that he had entered hospice care in Baton Rouge. Gray died at the age of 95 on February 17, 2020.

Awards and honors In 1998, Gray was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album for A Tribute to Howlin' Wolf, released by Telarc Records.

Between 2002 and 2017, Gray was nominated for six Blues Music Awards (formerly the W.C. Handy Blues Awards) in various categories, including Traditional Blues Male Artist and Traditional Blues Album (both in 2002).

Gray was a recipient of the 2006 National Heritage Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts, the nation's top honor for folk artists.

In 2016, Blues Blast Magazine honored Gray with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

In 2017, Gray was inducted in to the Blues Hall of Fame.

Selected discography Louisiana Swamp Blues, Vol. 2, 1990 (Wolf Records) Don't Start That Stuff, 1996 (Last Call Records) Blues Won't Let Me Take My Rest, 1999 (Lucky Cat Records) Henry Gray Plays Chicago Blues, 2001 (Hightone Records) Watch Yourself, featuring Lil' Buck Sinegal, 2001 (Lucky Cat Records) Henry Gray and the Cats: Live in Paris, CD/DVD, 2003 (Lucky Cat Records) The Blues of Henry Gray & Cousin Joe, 2004 (Storyville Records) Times Are Gettin Hard, 2009 (Lucky Cat Productions) 92, 2017 (MusicMatters Records) With Howlin' Wolf More Real Folk Blues (Chess, 1953-56 )