There are only a few musicians who make you wonder if it's really as easy as it looks. Who make you crane
your neck to see how many people are up on stage because you can't believe all the sounds and textures
emanating from one place. Who you feel compelled to seek out and thank after the show, because you were
absolutely transported by their contributions. This is how people feel after hearing Jim Henry play. Henry's
longtime reputation as a phenomenal all-around musician is well-deserved. He can do it all: play most things
stringed, sing lead or harmony, write great songs, produce, engineer and arrange. Four solo recordings and
literally hundreds of tracks on other people's recordings have cemented his position as one of the most
versatile and talented musicians working in acoustic music today. In 1997, Jim joined with acoustic axe man and label-mate Brooks Williams to record Ring Some Changes, a
soulful album of guitar duets which continues to be a favorite among fans.
"If Williams' guitar picking gets any sharper, we'll have to invent new adjectives," wrote the Boston Globe. Well, they better start inventing because Williams' music, lyrics, singing, and picking get sharper with every recording. Critics and writers hail Brooks as "an acoustic guitar god'" and a "fret monster," saying his music is "electrifying," "dazzling," and "breathtaking," and that he sings like the "Angel of Soul." With millions of touring miles and thirteen albums to his credit, the fans have seen and heard it for themselves. His huge and growing catalog of original songs is "exquisite," says MOJO, a UK magazine. Whether live in concert, where rich new music continues to emerge, or in recordings (he's recorded over thirteen albums) where his fiery flatpicking, power chords, single note leads, and simmering slide can be consumed over and over, fans understand why Dirty Linen says, "A consummate artist, Williams ranks among America's musical treasures."
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