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Bruce Henderson
Beyond the pale

"Bruce Henderson is to New York what Dwight Yoakam is to Los Angeles: a relocated son of the soil who writes about small town hearts and minds with a fresh perspective gained from big-city living"

ROLLING STONE

Singer/songwriter/guitarist/author Bruce Henderson was born and raised in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Henderson honed his playing in the fertile music scene of Austin, Texas before relocating to New York City to form Hearts and Minds, a roots-rock band that released one album for A&M Records. After the band’s breakup, Henderson wrote a nonfiction book (Waiting on Plume/Penguin) and formed the New York club band High Plains Drifters, before deciding to also step out on his own as a recording artist.

Bruce Henderson’s 1997 solo debut on Omad/Paradigm, The Wheels Roll, made quite a splash, hitting #11 on the national Gavin Americana chart and receiving high praise from press across the country. His live shows in support of The Wheels Roll, both solo acoustic and with his full band, earned rave reviews, as did his appearances on Public Radio’s national The World Cafe, and the Western Beat Roots Revival radio shows.

For the Beyond the Pale CD, Bruce is teamed with several longtime collaborators: noted Australian producer/guitarist Kerryn Tolhurst (Paul Kelly, The Dingoes), bassist Paul Ossola (Saturday Night Live, The Roches), drummer Steve Holley (Paul McCartney, Junior Brown) and keyboard/accordionist Charlie Giordano (Joe Cocker, Pat Benatar). A fellow Hearts and Minds alum, guitarist Andy York (John Mellencamp, Marshall Crenshaw), joins them for several cuts. While the focus is on Henderson’s songwriting, Beyond the Pale also features Henderson songs cowritten and sung with collaborators Matthew Grimm of New York’s Hangdogs and rocker Curtis Stigers.

All of these accomplished musicians join Bruce Henderson on a dark-but-hopeful tour of the Americas which parallels his own personal journey. From the flatlands of Oklahoma to the hills of Austin, Texas from the sands of Mexico to the canyons of New York City, from lust to love to heartbreak to hope, Henderson’s songwriting and singing provide powerful images worthy of real thought. Bruce Henderson was honored by his fellow musicians including Jules Shear, Marshall Crenshaw, Freedy Johnston, Curtis Stigers, Amy Rigby, and rock legend Ian Hunter (Mott the Hoople) at a fundraising concert, "The Bruce Henderson Charity Ball” in January, 1999.

With The Wheels Roll, Henderson became a literate ambassador for the wave of singer/songwriters celebrating the American experience. The journey begins again. Now, Bruce Henderson is ready to take you Beyond the Pale.

Tracklisting:

1. August
2. Speed Rack
3. Bone Tired
4. I wanted to
5. I never lost an arm
6. Look at you now
7. Flatlands
8. Wash it all away
9. Running out of light
10. Mexico

Bonus Tracks:

11. Swimming through the ashes
12. Texas or New Mexico

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