Local musician Trey Hensley brought home his first Grammy Award for his work on “Swingin’ Live at the Church in Tulsa” with the Taj Mahal Sextet. The collection of 10 songs, recorded in front of a live audience at The Church Studio, won Best Traditional Blues Album.
“It came about as a natural collaboration. We did that record pretty much totally unrehearsed and did songs that none of us had played together before and they ended up on the album,” said Hensley. “Bluegrass and jazz has a lot of improvisation, and being an instrumentalist, I like that.”
Hensley, celebrated guitar player and adjunct professor at ETSU, typically plays bluegrass and country, but said he has always enjoyed blues. “Once I started playing guitar, it was all I wanted to do,” said Hensley.
The Grammy Awards hosted an action-packed weekend for Hensley including, the nominee party, premiere ceremony and lifetime achievement awards, one of which was awarded to Taj Mahal.
Hensley is both a singer and songwriter and is currently working on some solo material. His work includes extensive touring, both international and domestic. Hensley frequently works with Rob Ickes, duo partner and renowned dobro player.
When he isn’t playing, Hensley teaches guitar students at ETSU and works with bands. This semester, he is working with the Southern rock band Tennessee Lightning.
This was Hensley’s second Grammy nomination, the first being for his album “Before the Sun Goes Down” with Rob Ickes, which was nominated in 2016 for Best Bluegrass Album.
This year, Hensley was accompanied by his 9-year-old daughter, Emmalyn, who enjoyed her time at the Grammys.
When asked where he will display the Grammy, Hensley laughed and said, “It’s going right in the living room. It will be the first thing anybody sees.”
