Henry Butler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Henry Butler
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Butler in 2015
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| Background information | |
| Born | September 21, 1948 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died | July 2, 2018 (aged 69) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, New Orleans blues |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Piano |
| Labels | MCA, Windham Hill, Basin Street |
Henry Butler (born September 21, 1948 – died July 2, 2018) was an amazing American jazz and blues pianist. He was also a talented photographer! Even though he was blind, he learned to play many instruments like piano, drums, and saxophone. He even taught music at a special arts school in New Orleans. Henry Butler played music by himself and with groups in big cities like Los Angeles and New York. His photos were even shown in art galleries!
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Henry Butler's Life Story
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Henry Butler was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He became blind when he was a baby because of an eye condition called glaucoma.
His musical journey started at the Louisiana State School for the Blind. There, he learned to play many instruments. He played the valve trombone, baritone horn, and drums. Later, he focused on singing and playing the piano.
Learning and Teaching Music
Henry Butler had a special mentor named Alvin Batiste. Alvin was a clarinet player and teacher at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Henry learned a lot from him.
In 1974, Henry earned a master's degree in music from Michigan State University. He even received a special award from the university in 2009.
From 1990 to 1996, he taught at Eastern Illinois University. After that, he moved back to New Orleans. In 1993, he started special jazz camps. These camps were for young musicians who were blind or had trouble seeing. A documentary film called The Music's Gonna Get You Through was made about these camps in 2010.
Life After Hurricane Katrina
In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans very hard. Henry Butler's home was badly damaged. His old 1925 piano was ruined by floodwaters. The water inside his house was almost eight feet high!
After the hurricane, Henry left New Orleans. He moved to Boulder, Colorado, and then to Denver. He called this time "a trying exile," meaning it was a difficult time away from home. In 2009, Henry Butler moved to New York City.
Henry Butler's Photography
Starting in 1984, Henry Butler enjoyed photography as a hobby. He would go to art shows in Los Angeles. He would ask his friends to describe what they saw in the pictures.
His unique way of taking photos was shown in a documentary. It was called Dark Light: The Art of Blind Photographers. This film aired in 2010. Henry's photographs were also displayed in art galleries in New Orleans.
Henry Butler passed away from cancer in New York City. He was 69 years old when he died on July 2, 2018.
Why Henry Butler Was Amazing
People knew Henry Butler for his incredible piano skills. He could play in many different styles of music.
A music critic named Jon Pareles wrote about him in 1987. He said Henry "revels in fluency and facility." This means Henry loved to play smoothly and easily. He would play chords all over the piano. He would also play fast solos, like a "machine-gun."
In 1998, another critic, Howard Reich, described Henry. He said Henry had "an enormous intellect." This means Henry was very smart. He also had "unusual physical strength," which helped him play the piano powerfully.
Henry Butler's Music Albums
Henry Butler released many albums during his career. Here are some of them:
- Fivin' Around (1986)
- The Village (1987)
- Orleans Inspiration (1990)
- Blues & More (1992)
- For All Seasons (1996)
- Blues After Sunset (1998)
- Vu-Du Menz with Corey Harris (2000)
- The Game Has Just Begun (2002)
- Homeland (2004)
- Pianola Live (2008)
- Viper's Drag with Steven Bernstein (2014)
