Trey and Rob are looking forward to hitting the road this November with musical heroes Tommy Emmanuel and David Grisman! Check the schedule for more info!
Tommy Emmanuel and David Grisman announce Fall 2017 tour with special guests Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley
New Album “The Country Blues” to be released July 8th
Nashville, TN May 25th, 2016 — Some things you know are just meant to be, but it was still welcome news for Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley when their debut duo album, Before The Sun Goes Down, earned a Grammy nomination for the Best Bluegrass Album. And with the release of their new project, THE COUNTRY BLUES on July 8th, the pair build on the first one’s strengths to take their unique musical conversation to an even higher level. Fun pervades the 11 tracks, even when the subject matter’s as mournful as the post-romance desolation of Hank Williams’ classic “May You Never Be Alone.” It continues through the powerful Sonny Boy Williamson blues shouter, “One Way Out,” the mixed regret and determination of Merle Haggard’s “I Won’t Give Up My Train,” into the grassy dexterity of their original, “Everywhere I Go is a Long Way From Home.” They mix it up with insouciant funk of “Pray Enough,” imported from the Wood Brothersand the southern rock of Charlie Daniels on “Willie Jones.” Then there’s the jazzy tour de force instrumental, “Biscuits And Gravy,” written by Ickes as a kind of tribute to pedal steel master Buddy Emmons and even a nod to the Grateful Dead in “Friend Of The Devil,” a dazzling staple of the duo’s live shows. That organic approach served them well throughout the recording sessions with regulars Mike Bub (bass) and John Alvey(drums) and a select handful of instrumental and vocal guests that included the likes of Ron Block, Vince Gill, Aubrey Haynie, Carl Jackson, Shawn Lane, Andy Leftwich, Robinella and John Randall Stewart.
[CLICH HERE TO LISTEN TO FOCUS TRACKS]
[CLICK HERE TO REQUEST PROMO SERVICING FOR REVIEW OR AIRPLAY]
TRACK LISITING:
1. Ballad Of A Well Known Gun
2. Everywhere I Go is a Long Way from Home
3. That’s What Leaving’s For
4. Pray Enough
5. Leave My Woman Alone
6. I Won’t GIve Up My Train
7. Biscuits and Gravy
8. Friend Of The Devil
9. May You Never Be Alone
10. Willie Jones
11. One Way Out
TOUR DATES:
6/02 – Quinlan Cafe, Denver, CO
6/03 – Vaudeville Theatre, Glenwood Springs, CO
6/05 – Folk and Bluegrass Fest., Pagosa Springs, CO
6/09 – The Station Inn, Nashville, TN
6/11 – Wellmont Reginal Center for the Performing Arts Bluntville, TN
6/16 – Mountains of Music, Glade Springs, VA
6/19 – The Rooster’s Wife, Aberdeen, NC
7/07 – Boulevard Music, Culver City, CA
7/09 – Sebastopol Comm. Center, Sebastopol, CA
7/14 – The Station Inn, Nashville, TN
7/15 – MusicFest ‘N Sugar Grove, Sugar Grove, NC
7/17 – Music on Main Street, Woodbridge, NJ
7/20 – Opera House, Boothbay Harbor, ME
7/23 – Musicians Against Childhood Cancer, Lockbourne, OH
7/30 – The Founder’s Room, Alma, AR
8/05 – Bluegrass Fest., La Roche sur Foron, FRA
8/13 – Waldhutte Stetten, Stetten, CHE
8/25+26 – Tonder Folk Festival, Tonder, DNK
8/27+28 – Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival, Waterford IRL
9/10 – The Soda Foundation Steelville, MO
9/17 – Rhythm & Roots Reunion, Bristol, TN
11/04 – Manhattan Arts Center Manhattan, KS
CONTACTS:
Brad Hunt | The WNS Group bhsabres@aol.com | 585.765.2083
Christina Dunkley | Compass Records christina@compassrecords.com | 615.320.7672
Trey Hensley Featured in May 2015 Acoustic Guitar Magazine
Trey is featured in the May 2015 issue of Acoustic Guitar Magazine. The magazine calls Trey “Nashville’s hottest young player”. See the article here: http://www.acousticguitar.com/News/Pickin-Singin-Trey-Hensley
Taylor Guitars
Hey folks…I’m thrilled to announce that I’m officially a Taylor Guitar artist! I’m honored to be included in the Taylor family and I’m honored to be playing one of their fine instruments! A special thanks to Tim Godwin and all of the folks at Taylor for the support…and for this beautiful 510e-FLTD!
(photo credit: Micah Mathewson)
Trey Hensley – Mel Bay’s Artist Interview
Hey everybody…here is an interview I did for Mel Bay a little bit ago. I would like to say a huge “Thank You!” to Rob Haines, Erica Lee and all of the folks at Mel Bay!
Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley Join The Compass Records Family!
Compass Records Signs Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley
New Album Slated for January 2015 Release
Photo: (L-R) Top: Garry West and Alison Brown; Bottom: Trey Hensley and Rob Ickes
(Nashville, TN) October 2, 2014 — Compass Records is pleased to announce the signing of bluegrass and traditional country-infused duo Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley to the label. Their debut collaboration, BEFORE THE SUN GOES DOWN, slated for a January 2015 release, pairs the International Bluegrass Music Association’s 15 time Dobro Player of Year, Ickes, with the up and coming singer/guitarist, Hensley, whom Ickes recently discovered in a stroke of good luck. Says Ickes, “Last year, when we were working on the latest Blue Highway album, THE GAME, we needed a scratch vocal done on one song so we could play live without having to go back and replace the vocal. The studio owner said he knew a kid nearby who was a great singer and could do it on short notice. So he called Trey in and he proceeded to sing the hell out of “My Last Day in the Mines”, a song he’d never even heard before! And the way he sang it was so perfect that we couldn’t imagine replacing it or changing anything about it, so his “scratch” vocal quickly became a “guest” vocal. Later, I saw some YouTube footage of him playing electric guitar and it was obvious he was as strong on guitar as he was on singing. So I told Trey that if there was ever anything I could do to help him in his career, I’d be happy to do it, and soon after, he and his wife moved to Nashville and we started playing the Station Inn on a regular basis.”
The more the two musicians played together the more they became inspired to record a studio album together. BEFORE THE SUN GOES DOWN is the result of that effort and it is a unique project for the way it seamlessly blends contemporary bluegrass and the spare studio stylings of classic ’60s and ’70s country music. Hensley’s voice is something of a miracle, a throwback to the great country singer icons of the genre’s first golden era, at one moment evoking an early George Jones or Merle Haggard, and at another, Conway Twitty or Hank Snow. The fact that Hensley is still just in his early 20’s makes the experience of listening to him even more astounding. His talent has drawn the attention of more than his fair share of Music Row heavy weights including Marty Stuart who said: “Trey Hensley is the real deal – I’m one of his biggest fans.” Dobro master Rob Ickes is the perfect musical foil to Hensley’s prodigious talent, both as a musician and producer. His Dobro ornaments Hensley’s vocal lines with perfect finesse one moment and with jaw-dropping fire the next, showing why he is one of the best to ever pick up the instrument. As a producer, Ickes has a solid hand and deep musical understanding which enables him to draw the connections between bluegrass and early country to create a cohesive and highly successful end result.
Compass co-founder Alison Brown says, “We are delighted to be working with Rob and Trey. Individually they represent some of the best talent roots music has to offer. Rob’s Dobro playing is an absolute force of nature and Trey is one of the most gifted singers and players I’ve ever heard. As a duo they are forging new territory, creating a sound that is steeped in tradition but utterly fresh and completely captivating.” Ickes adds, “I’ve known Garry West and Alison Brown for years and I am very excited to be working with Compass. Their passion and dedication to Roots Music is second to none and I’m looking forward to seeing where this new venture takes us all!”
Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley will be on tour in California and the Pacific Northwest in December:
12/4/14 – Royal Room – Seattle, WA
12/5/14 – Green Frog – Bellingham, WA
12/6/14 – Treehouse – Leavenworth, CA
12/7/14 – Little River Inn – Little River, CA
12/9/14 – Tallman Hotel – Upper Lake, CA
12/10/14 – TBA, Redding, CA
12/11/14 – Don Quixote’s – Felton, CA
12/12/14 – Boulevard Music – Culver City, CA
12/13/14 – Powerhouse – Del Mar, CA
12/14/14 – TBA, Sonora, CA
About Compass Records
Compass Records has been described by Billboard Magazine as “one of the leading independent labels.” The label group is home to more than 500 releases across the Compass Records, Green Linnet and Mulligan Records imprints with a roster that boasts a variety of artists including Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley, Mike Farris, John Cowan, The Duhks, Justin Currie, David Mayfield, Luka Bloom, Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, Michael Barnett, Colin Hay, A.J. Croce, Victor Wooten, Claire Lynch, The Farewell Drifters, Darden Smith, BeauSoleil, Jim Oblon, Special Consensus and label co-founder Alison Brown. For more information, visit www.compassrecords.com
Howdy…check out my new photos!
Howdy everybody…I hope you all are having a wonderful summer thus far! It’s been a great (and super busy) summer for me, that’s for sure! I’ve been touring around and getting prepared for my upcoming duo CD that I recorded with Rob Ickes that is due out this Fall. Here’s a link to an article from Bluegrass Today about the upcoming record… (http://bluegrasstoday.com/rob-ickes-duo-project-with-trey-hensley/ )
Any how, just wanted to say howdy and let you all know that I have some new pictures up in my photo gallery! Be sure and check ’em out! Thanks and take care!
-Trey
In the Studio…
Howdy folks…hope you all are doing well! I just wanted to post something on here to let you guys know that I have been in the studio the past little bit working on a new record with Mr. Rob Ickes that will be out pretty soon! Needless to say, I’m so incredibly excited about this record! It’s been an absolute blast working in the studio with Rob and all of the other amazing musicians that have been involved with this project. I’ll post some more details (and maybe some clips) ASAP…as for now, here are some pics from the studio!
“My Last Day in the Mine” Live at the Station Inn with Blue Highway
Here’s a video of me singing “My Last Day in the Mine” with Blue Highway at the Station Inn! Thanks again for having me up there, fellers! It’s always a huge honor!
Blue Highway – The Game
Hey everybody! I hope all of you fine folks are doing well this wonderful (cold) morning! I just wanted to let you all know that the new Blue Highway album “The Game” dropped yesterday and it features yours truly as a guest vocalist on “My Last Day in the Mine”! I was absolutely thrilled and honored to get to work in the studio with those guys, as they have always been (and always will be) some of my biggest heroes! So, check out the new record on Amazon, ITunes, or Blue Highway’s website. Thanks and take care!
