Jazz vocalist Bill Henderson dies

Jazz vocalist and actor Bill Henderson died on April 3rd in Los Angeles aged 90.

He was known for his clever lyrical phrasing, spacing, audible punctuation and warm tone. Henderson was born in Chicago. His music career took off during the 1950s, working with fellow Chicagoan with Ramsey Lewis. His debut album was ‘Bill Henderson Sings’ (with Ramsey Lewis Trio & Wynton Kelly Sextet) on the Vee-Jay label in 1958.  

He worked alongside Dizzy Gillespie, Quincy Jones, Count Basie, the Charlie Haden Quintet and in 1963 released ‘Bill Henderson with the Oscar Peterson Trio’ which is a vocal jazz classic on the Verve label. Henderson’s wonderful vocal version of Horace Silver’s ‘Señor Blues’ was included on the 1998 CD re-issue of Silver’s Blue Note album ’Six Pieces Of Silver.’ 

As actor Henderson also appeared on TV and film including Lethal Weapon 4, White Men Can't Jump, ER, The Twilight Zone, Hill Street Blues, Happy Days Sanford and Son, The Jeffersons, NYPD Blues and My Name Is Earl.