Last Nite at the Bluebird Live!
Qualified Records
Publicity: Blind Raccoon
By Peter “Blewzzman” Lauro © July 2025
Prelude
Mike Henderson was a Grammy winner, a two-time CMA award winner, a four-time Grammy nominee, an IBMA award winner, a two-time ACM nominee and a multi-platinum #1 hit songwriter and musician. With all that to his credit, Mike’s favorite performing venue was the unassuming little cafe we know as The Bluebird, in Nashville, TN, where for over twenty-five years – he, and a stellar ensemble, owned Monday nights.
The band on this recording: Mike Henderson on vocals and guitar; Kevin McKendree on piano; Steve Mackey on bass guitar; and Pat O’Connor on drums; is the final lineup that was in place at the time of Mike’s passing in 2023.
It is with great pleasure that I’m able to tell you that I’ve been part of the Monday night audience on several of my trips to Nashville. That said, in a city where choosing what to do while visiting can be extremely overwhelming, do not leave Nashville having not seen this show. The show indeed goes on with Yates McKendree now fronting the band.
Review
The opening track is one of Mike’s originals and it’s titled “Weepin’ & Moanin'”. It opens with over a ninety-second guitar solo that will certainly be some of the best blues licks you may have ever heard, and it continues as Mike starts belting out the blues with his gritty vocals. Shortly after the rest of the band gets going, Mike turns the song into an explanation as to what’s about to unfold. Starting out with “This is Blue Monday, so if any you came here to listen to the sensitive songwriters, like they have the rest of the time, I’m sorry, this is their night off”. Then he proceeds to talk about how during songwriter sessions, making noise or talking will get you thrown out. By saying “This is party music, it’s not to sit there and analyze, it’s for feeling” further giving the audience permission to make all hell break loose… and if they don’t, he threatens to “play instrumental versions of terrible pop songs that they hated when hearing them on the radio”. Classic!
With the crowd now hootin’ and hollerin’, the band breaks out into the most rockin’ version of “Matchbox” (Jefferson) that I can ever remember hearing. With Kevin being Kevin and wailin’ away on the piano and Steve and Pat causing a ruckus on the rhythm, Mike’s frantically wondering if a matchbox will fit his clothes.
Channeling his inner Elmore James – and some of Rory Gallagher’s gusto as well, Mike gives what just might be his best guitar performance of the disc on “Too Much Alcohol” (Williamson/Hutto). When working with an album on which four world class musicians repeatedly give you their best effort on each and every track, it’s pretty much impossible to avoid being redundant, and I feel that happening right about now.
Too bad there was a song in between the one above and this one – “When I Get Drunk” (Burns), it would have created the ideal segue. The easiest way to describe what’s going on is to say that right here, Mike, Kevin, Steve and Pat, are playing like their lives depended on it.
Kicking it back a bit, the guys settle into a very nice shuffle on this one. Its title “Have A Good Time” (Horton), and that’s exactly what I’m in the middle of doing. It features Mike showcasing his quite impressive harmonica skills.
I have actually been in The Bluebird when The Mike Henderson Band played this one… Before the song started that night, Mike explained to the audience about how, over a decade, Bo Diddley was ripped off for nearly half a million dollars by his manager. It was the perfect intro to a song called “Pay Bo Diddley” (McDaniel, Nicholson, Wilson) that featured the audience participating in a call and response type banter with Mike on the song’s chorus line of “Pay Bo Diddley”.
Other tracks on this fabulous release that brought me many pleasant flashbacks are: “One Room Country Shack” (Dee); a “Band Introduction” on which Mike offers well deserved praise to his bandmates; and a wild and crazy rendition of “Gimme Back My Wig” (Taylor, Hopkins, Josea).
If you’re not familiar with the maestro that was Mike Henderson, just go to his website – https://www.mikehenderson.com/
“The Blues Is My Passion And Therapy”
Peter “Blewzzman” Lauro
Blues Editor @ www.Mary4Music.com
2011 “Keeping The Blues Alive” Award Recipient
