Biography

Bobby John Henry - Baker Of Music Row

Born in Oklahoma, this son of a preacher man grew up in Kansas City’s urban gumbo of gospel, country, western swing and jazz. In clubs and radio with Jimmy Dallas and Rex Allen, Sr., singing with Billy Grey’s Western Swing band and lots of Honky Tonks, to the all night jams in the after hours clubs where all the musicians from the big bands, Basie, Ellington, Woody Herman, who always laid over in KC would gather to play till dawn. Sometime in the 50’s he started recording and headed for New Orleans where he showed his talent with a stint with Roy Laberto’s band at the Famous Door and Louis Prima at the Dream Room on Bourbon Street. He caught the attention of another Dixieland trumpet player and movie star, Johnny “Scat” Davis, famous for his movie and song “Hooray for Hollywood.” He hit the road with the Scat Davis Band and went to Las Vegas’s Sahara Hotel to play opposite Louis Prima and Keely Smith.

His first songwriting hit, the 1954 “Swamp Legend” by the Four Coachmen lead to a series of recording deals. He went on to write songs for the jazz rock group Chase who recorded his “Livin’ in Heat” and Frankie Avalon recorded “Extra Sunrise.” Diana Trask, had a hit with his “It Meant Nothing to Me” and Dave & Sugar with “I Ain’t Leaving Dallas Till the Fire Goes Out”.

As an artist he cut sides for Capitol, Mega, and Metromedia records. Almost always on the road with his band, he owned a ranch in Bakersfield, CA and a percentage of a hotel there called the Bakersfield Inn where he performed when he was home. Bakersfield was the melting pot of west coast country where the movie cowboys would come to get together and play and listen to the new Bakersfield Sound. He got to work with Jimmy Wakley, Tex Williams, Merle Travis, Red Simpson, Gene Moles, Mark Mosley, Bill E Shaw and The Bakersfield Rhythm Boys, Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, Rose Maddox, Rusty Draper, Eugene Moles, Mark Yeary, Marty Robbins, Roy Clark, Mayf Nutter, David Frizzell, Oscar Whittington, Jimmy Thomason. Freddie Hart, Bobby Bare and rockabilly pioneers The Collins Kids, Larry and Lori.It was a great time to be there and watch the Old School come to town to hear the New School of what became the Bakersfield Sound.

In 1988 he headed for Nashville where he bought Spence Manor Suites Hotel which had seen it's glory days when it was full of stars,and the likes of Sinatra, Dean Martin, The Beatles, and Elvis made it their hotel home. He brought it back to the place to stay for Willie Nelson, Charley Pride, Lynn Anderson, Bare Naked Ladies, Dolly Parton, Billy Joe Shaver, rock bands and songwriters from all over the world. In 1997 he and Sharon Townsend had a 8 pound 6 ounce bundle of joy named Emily Hall. A lovely daughter convinced Henry it was time to make some real dough. He converted the room service kitchen that had turned out so many late night Southern Fried Pies and cheeseburgers for Elvis into a bakery and according to Nashville Scene food critic, Carrington Fox, if you’re dining in a Nashville restaurant and ask the question “Who baked this surprisingly delicious bread?” you usually hear the name Bobby John Henry. She named him, The Baker of Music Row.

The recording of “Back in New Orleans’ with the DUKES of Dixieland and the Oakridge Boys and with his daughter Emily entering in collage now at MTSU, he has started to write songs again and do some recording. He wrote "Fishing with Merle (Praying for Merle)" as a get well tribute to his friend Merle Haggard and after Merle passed he rewrote the song as "Fishin' with Merle" with a single and video release date the end of 2017 on American Gramaphone Society. 2018 he'll release an EP with several additional songs.
A rare opportunity for country singer Bobby John Henry (The Baker of Music Row), was to be asked to sing on a new album, “When COUNTRY Meets DIXIE”, with the DUKES of Dixieland and The Oak Ridge Boys.He was in the bakery when Terri Fricon called from the Tracking Room to ask him if he could come down and sing one for this project. With his hairnet still on he ran down to the studio and listened to the demo twice and then recorded it. Then back to the bakery.

Fishin' With Merle;
I wrote this song as a fan letter ( A get well prayer for Merle) It is: Fishing With Merle ‪#‎PrayingForMerle‬ We got over 10,000 hits praying for Merle and then as I was in the studio recording it, the other day, we lost him. I reached out for someone to help me do a little video to add to the song. We'll do that next week. In the mean time for all you friends and fans who are still praying for Merle and his loved ones, I'm posting the song we did in the studio at Jay's Place. My thanks to all the friends and musicians who volunteered to help with this project. A song about the dreams of all young performers who looked up to Merle as I did as the source of the poetry that touched us all, and melodies that lifted a nation. Will there ever be another? Some young man is listening to Merle right now and digging deep for the magic of universal love, loss and pain and struggle that may reach our heart someday the way Merle captured generations.His impeccable craft and heart will live on in the dreams of many songwriters and poets as he showed us the way.