Over the past few years, there has been a dramatic resurgence in roots music and many musicians have taken up the acoustic lap steel guitar. There are, however, remarkably few solo lap steel guitarists. Richard Henderson is one of those few. His characteristic edgy style is based on the traditions of the blues, country and rock ’n’ roll. And the results are compelling: Richard was named Instrumentalist of the Year by the Durham Region Music Society and First Runner Up in The Toronto Blues Society’s Talent Search. Richard performs about 100 shows a year including multiple appearances at the Tim Horton’s Southside Shuffle, Mariposa Folk Festival, the Trius Blues Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, the Orangeville Blues Festival, The Lighthouse Blues Festival in Kincardine, The Durham West Blues Fest, the Port Perry and Peterborough Craft Beer Festivals, the Scarborough, Toronto, Brampton, Pickering and Port Perry Ribfests, and Winterfolk in Toronto, to name just a few. Maverick, the UK’s leading independent roots music magazine, selected one of Richard’s original songs for a covermount CD on one of its magazine issues.
Richard’s distinctive use of the lap steel guitar, while evocative of roots and folk traditions, is transformational: leading to a vibrant reconstruction of roots music.
Listen to Acoustic Lap Steel Guitar!
