Dorris Henderson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dorris Henderson
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| Background information | |
| Born | February 2, 1933 Lakeland, Florida, United States |
| Died | March 3, 2005 (aged 72) London, England |
| Genres | Folk music, pop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Instruments | Autoharp |
| Years active | Early-late 1960s, 1999-2003 |
| Associated acts | Lord Buckley John Renbourn Eclection |
Dorris Henderson (born February 2, 1933 – died March 3, 2005) was an American singer. She played the autoharp and was known for her folk music. She later lived in the United Kingdom.
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Early Life and Musical Start
Dorris was born in Lakeland, Florida, but grew up in Los Angeles. Her father was a clergyman. Her grandmother was a Blackfoot Native American. The blues musician, Guitar Nubbit, was her uncle.
At first, she worked for the government. But she became very interested in music. This happened after she saw a singer named Odetta perform. Odetta sang at a famous folk music club in Los Angeles called the Ash Grove.
Dorris soon started visiting Sunset Boulevard's jazz clubs often. She began playing the autoharp. She performed songs from a famous collection called The Folk Songs of North America. Dorris got her big chance when she met Lord Buckley. He called her "the Lady Dorris." She joined him for shows in Hollywood. She even sang on one of his live albums.
Becoming a Full-Time Musician
After working with Lord Buckley, Dorris became more well-known. She decided to focus on music full-time. She moved to New York City. At that time, the Greenwich Village area of New York was a very important place for American folk music.
Dorris quickly became friends with famous musicians there. These included Dave Van Ronk, Fred Neil, and Paul Simon. She was one of the first artists to sing a song by Paul Simon. Her version was "Leaves That are Green." She also became friends with Bob Dylan. She even appeared briefly in his film Dont Look Back.
Moving to the United Kingdom
Dorris's brother was serving in the United States Air Force in England. He encouraged her to visit. So, she traveled to London and stayed in Hampstead. Dorris started singing with her autoharp at The Troubadour. This club was a big center for the folk revival in London. She later explained that she sang folk songs, not blues. She said this was because she was "a city girl."
She met John Renbourn at The Roundhouse. Dorris offered the young guitarist a chance to play with her. She had won a spot on the BBC2 television show Gadzooks! It's All Happening. On the show, she performed alongside stars like Tom Jones and Sandie Shaw.
Dorris and John Renbourn formed a duo. They recorded two albums together: There You Go (1965) and Watch the Stars (1967). Later, Renbourn left to join another musician, Bert Jansch. Dorris then met a Dutch folk singer named Cobi Schreijer. After that, Dorris went on a tour across Europe. She visited thirteen countries. She also lived in the Netherlands for some time and recorded music there.
Later Career and Return to Music
In 1968, Dorris formed a rock band called Tintagel. Ian McDonald, who later joined King Crimson, was also in the band. However, the band did not do well and soon broke up. Later in 1968, Dorris became the new singer for the band Eclection. She performed with them at the Isle of Wight Festival 1969. After Eclection ended, she started a new band called Dorris Henderson's Eclection. Her son, Eric Jones, was the guitarist.
Dorris married Mac McGann and settled in Twickenham. She mostly stopped performing music. She did some work singing for commercials (jingles) and a few shows with Bob Kerr. In 1999, her album There You Go was re-released. This led Dorris to return to music more regularly. In 2003, she released a new album called Here I Go Again. This album featured John Renbourn and other musicians she had worked with before. Dorris called it her "musical autobiography."
Dorris Henderson passed away in London in 2005.
Discography
- With John Renbourn: There You Go Columbia SX 6001 1965
- With John Renbourn: Watch the Stars Fontana TL 5385 1966
- Rotterdam Blues SHR VR 108 (EP)
- Here I Go Again Market Square MSMCD117 2003
