Sadly passed away on September 22, 2023, in his sleep, singer, guitar player, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Mike Henderson was nominated four times to the Grammy Awards and was once winner, as well as awarded at the International Blues Music Awards, in addition to getting several platinum records, among many other awards. The truth is that Mike deserved all those recognitions, since his voice and guitar gave off an inimitable feeling that he was able to communicate from the first of his repertoire songs.

Qualified Records now releases an album that presents his last night at the Bluebird Café in Nashville where he performed every Monday. It gathers some of the songs he used to play during his more than thirty years of career, where he recorded with artists like Waylon Jennings, Emmylou Harris, Mark Knopfler, Albert King, Hank Williams Jr., Johnny Lang, Guy Clark, John Hiatt, Sting, Bo Diddley, Tim McGraw, Lucinda Williams, Bob Seeger, Patty Loveless, Martina McBride or Blake Shelton. Some of his songs were also recorded by musicians like Adele, Chris Stapleton, Kenny Rogers, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Solomon Burke, Marty Stuart or Randy Travis among many others, as Mike had a good knowledge of styles like blues, bluegrass, country and rock and roll

Although no one expected his death, the show seems to foreshadow it would be the last one at the Bluebird Café, because both Mike and his band gave themselves body and soul, playing with a very special feeling. All of them were totally committed as if they knew they were not going to play together anymore in those incredible sessions. The energy, passion and communication with the audience is amazing and Mike goes all out on vocals, guitar and slide. Also remarkable are Kevin McKendree’s piano solos and the rhythm section with Steve Mackey on bass and Pat O’Connor on drums are not far behind.

Although the album only includes eight songs of explosive blues, plus the band introduction, they are enough to trap listeners and make them enjoy and live in the distance what should have been experienced that night and so many others these musicians gave on stage. It is a shame the loss of such a passionate artist like Mike Henderson.