Bugs Henderson

The Tyler, TX-raised Bugs Henderson took his cues from the wealth of great roadhouse blues and blues-rock guitarists that were around Dallas, including Freddie King, Johnny Winter, and literally dozens of others on the Texas music scene of the '60s. Henderson has cited James Burton, Ricky Nelson's guitarist, as a major influence.

Buddy Henderson, better known as "Bugs" Henderson, was a blues guitarist who was popular in Europe and from the 1970s was based in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, where he was known as a local blues guitar legend. He was born in Palm Springs, California, and spent his early life in Tyler, Texas, where he formed a band called the Sensores at age 16, and later joined Mouse and the Traps. In Dallas-Fort Worth during the early 1970s, he was lead guitarist for the blues/rock band Nitzinger before forming the Shuffle Kings and later a band that was eponymously named. Henderson played with blues musicians such as B. B. King, Eric Clapton, Muddy Waters and Stevie Ray Vaughan, also with rhythm and blues saxophonist Don Wise and the rock guitarist Ted Nugent.

Buddy Henderson, better known as "Bugs" Henderson, was a blues guitarist who was popular in Europe and from the 1970s was based in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, where he was known as a local blues guitar legend. Henderson played with blues musicians such as B. B. King, Eric Clapton, Muddy Waters and Stevie Ray Vaughan, also with rhythm and blues saxophonist Don Wise and the rock guitarist Ted Nugent. He died just four days after a benefit concert in his name. The performers at the 11-hour “Benefit Bugs” event included Ray Wylie Hubbard, Smokin’ Joe Kubek & Bnois King, and Mouse and the Traps, the band from early in his career with the hit songs, “A Public Execution” and “Maid of Sugar – Maid of Spice” that featured his guitar solos.

Recorded live at the Civic Auditorium Saint Louis, USA, 19th july 1986. This live recording was originally released as "bootleg recording" on Bugs Henderson And The Stratoblasters - Texan Eagles. The whole tape has been totally remastered and Bugs himself gave a new order to the tracklist. Buddy Henderson, better known as "Bugs" Henderson, was an American blues guitarist. Henderson played with blues musicians such as B. B. King, Eric Clapton, Muddy Waters, and Stevie Ray Vaughan, as well as with rhythm and blues saxophonist Don Wise and rock guitarist Ted Nugent.

Had this been released in 1982, it would have been the third album for the Bugs Henderson Group. It was not released at that time, however, due to differing thoughts on its style. In 1998 the tapes were resurrected and the vocals were re-cut. Most of Backbop is good old-fashioned rock & roll. The strongest cuts are "Help Me," which blends sounds as diverse as '70s rock and Chet Atkins; "Love Junkie," which comes the closest to blues with some nice jazzy riffs that are lessened only by too much repetition; and "Thief of the Night," which sees Henderson at his fiercest, rocking out with all the speed and bends his fans cherish.

Still Flyin', the first studio disc by legendary Texas blues/rock axeslinger Bugs Henderson features 14 songs of top-shelf, premium blend, bluesy 70s inspired heavy guitar rock that stands tall in a class all it s own. Remastered and reissued for the first time on CD complete with 3 unreleased bonus tracks, Still Flyin is a classic, timeless, essential, worthy musical document from this amazing, seasoned guitar veteran. Originally released in 1981 on Flying High Records, Still Flyin features strong songs, excellent playing complete with a stand-out production & sonic delivery, this awesome disc has a timeless beauty to it. Recorded old school on 2 inch analog tape with love & care and from people who knew what they were doing, the tracks have an incredible, dynamic earthy vibe. The remastered tracks sound fresh and exciting, as the day they were recorded.

This is the stuff guitar heroes are made of. Henderson doles out everything from straight-up rock & roll to slow, nasty blues and twangy country on this album. The quality and clarity of the sound on this recording serve to enhance and complement Henderson's in-you-face guitar style too. The opening track "Hit the Bricks" is fairly weak, and there are a few others that don't necessarily light any fires (the title track and "Love Somebody"), but the rest of the CD smokes. The seven instrumentals include Henderson's favorite Link Wray song "Rawhide," and a twangy, two-part version of Duane Eddy's "Rebel Rouser." The Ventures medley is a true delight (he breaks out the whammy bar a bit). "Brandon's Song" features some double-lead guitar and sounds like something you might hear from Clapton.