Katie Henry: On Her Way

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Katie Henry

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UP CLOSE ⭐️ Katie Henry ⭐️

Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist/Pianist Katie Henry, after a flirtation with blues-rock on her 2018 High Road debut, has settled into a rockin’ Americana groove on the follow-up, On My Way(Germany’s Ruf Records) where she casts off her former lovers like a snake shedding off skin.

“Yeah,” she admits, “it is somewhat auto-biographical.”

Lines like getting away from her “wasted yesterdays” and not knowing the difference “between being loved and being used” are crystal visions more suited to a Kristofferson than a 20-something rookie, but this gal already has a helluva track record, garnering four Independent Blues Award nominations and a Euro tour with stops in Vienna and Austria under her belt.

Writing lines like that, though, she has to have an old soul.

“I’m glad you zoned into those two lines. They’re quick short lines but they do speak to personal experience, for sure. I was kinda sussing out when a relationship is for my benefit or the other person’s. A good relationship is when it’s mutually beneficial obviously but it’s easy to kinda teeter off into one or the other so I definitely put that in there because I went through it in my own life.

“I had him in mind when I wrote those lyrics. But as I’ve grown, I’ve come to realize that what I wrote back then about him is for me as well.”

“‘Setting Sun’ and ‘Blessings’ are for someone I knew and cared about,” she continues in a wistful tone. “I had him in mind when I wrote those lyrics. But as I’ve grown, I’ve come to realize that what I wrote back then about him is for me as well. Sometimes what you want to say to someone you think you love—or even your best friend—is something you yourself need to hear. So those songs have a place in my life. In `Setting Sun,’ I’m looking at the things that can’t be changed. I think that was something I was grappling with. Keep in mind that a lot of these songs were written during the pandemic and that had an effect too. There certainly was time to reflect. I could trace what led to what. I did that a lot. Reflection. Acceptance. Putting those feelings into those two songs especially. It allowed me to get through it. It was therapy.”

There’s an unerring confidence and sense of fem-empowerment in these tracks, offset by some great musical moments. Giles Robinson’s blues-harp on “Too Long” crushes it. The absolutely gorgeous “Setting Sun” is a respite, a calm before the storm of “Got Me Good,” where her ballsy rhythmic attack on guitar dredges up a distinct Bonnie Raitt vibe.

In the video for “On My Way,” she sings with a sly sexy air of insouciance. She’s got the world by the balls and she’s certainly not about to let some feckless lover drag her down. It’s a riveting performance. You can’t take your eyes off her. This must be what star quality is all about and she has it in spades.”

“I love so many of the current Americana artists, she gushes. “My co-writer/bassist/slide guitarist Antar Goodwin has worked with some of them. The new songs I’m writing are leaning in that direction as well. I feel I fully embraced that sound with On My Way. Certainly moreso than in the past. I think the first album leaned away from it and the second leans right into it! I have found that roots music is the way to go for me as it encompasses all of the genres. I would say blues-rock doesn’t extend its genre-reach as much so, yeah, that’s my direction.”
But what’s she like off-stage?

“Different,” she admits. “Being on stage allows me to turn the volume up, so to speak, on certain parts of my personality that I usually wind up submerging in real life. The songs play into that too. The lyrics make me seem so confident, assertive.”
And growing up in Vernon? The bucolic hills of Sussex County is where the Great Gorge Playboy Club once stood, now replaced by a ski resort and water park.

“It’s a beautiful part of New Jersey,” she says breathlessly. “Life was good. I had a great childhood. There wasn’t a whole lot going on. It’s pretty rural. I spent a lot of time outdoors and I grew up in a music-loving family. There was always music playing in the house all the time. Always! It was mostly Classic Rock, a lot of Eagles and Allman Brothers and I just kinda realized that that kind of sound gave me the ear for the kind of music I love today.”

Those lucky enough to get to witness her set this summer will no doubt always remember her. (She even covers John Fogerty’s “Fortunate Son.“) “Yes, I’m particularly excited for these upcoming shows! It’s not just business-as-usual. And I appreciate you shining a light on these dates. That really helps. Gigs kinda come and go quick. It would be easy to miss. So I’m glad to have the word out as soon as possible. Each show is different. It’s not just par for the course. I mean, yes, we’re doing the same songs for the most part but between the new people in the crowd, and the fact that we’re still building these songs up to concert renditions, the excitement level on stage is always growing. And don’t think we’re not feeling the momentum! We’re gathering it all up. It’s part of my journey. And I’m rolling with it! It feels good.”