Shifty Henry

• Birth name:

  John Willie Henry

• Date of Birth:

  30 November 1924 Edina, Texas, USA

John W. "Shifty" Henry was an accomplished jazz musician, equally proficient on the string bass, saxophone, oboe and trumpet, as well as a composer of no mean ability. He received his nickname while playing football for Prairie View A & M College near Houston, Texas, where he majored in music. After graduation, he moved to Los Angeles where he was in demand not only as a performer in various jazz combos and big band organizations but also as a studio musician and as a composer and arranger. One... more

John W. "Shifty" Henry was an accomplished jazz musician, equally proficient on the string bass, saxophone, oboe and trumpet, as well as a composer of no mean ability. He received his nickname while playing football for Prairie View A & M College near Houston, Texas, where he majored in music. After graduation, he moved to Los Angeles where he was in demand not only as a performer in various jazz combos and big band organizations but also as a studio musician and as a composer and arranger. One of his songs, "Let Me Go Home Whiskey", originally recorded by Amos Milburn, was recently recorded by the country group Asleep At The Wheel.