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Guitar.com Live: Everything you need to know about Curt Henderson

The exceptional jazz session player who’s racked up a fanbase online – meet Curt Henderson before catching him at Guitar.com Live.

Curt Henderson

Image: Curt Henderson via Facebook

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Who is Curt Henderson?

Born in Vancouver, Canada, Curt Henderson has become a fixture of the bustling music world that is Nashville. He’s been playing guitar since he was a child, when by chance he got his hands on the guitar of his dreams: a black Strat with a white pickguard.

What is he up to now?

He’s currently working hard across the Nashville session scene, teaching lessons and recording for everything from major label sessions to smaller passion projects. His skills are also on show quite frequently over at his Instagram page.

He also plays guitar in Shannon Lauren Callihan‘s band, who’s also appearing at Guitar.com Live.

What’s his style?

Being a prolific session player, it’s safe to say Henderson can fill a lot of genre’s shoes  – but he’s most at home with his own blend of soul, neo-soul and R&B. His hybrid picking approach means he can attack smooth, articulate lead lines as he picks out jazzy, staccato chords.

What are his essential tracks?

Speaking of Jazz, he’s also got a healthy appreciation for the standards of the genre – check out his solo version of Thelonius Monk’s ‘Round Midnight below.

For newer material from Henderson, Check out his playing on Shannon Lauren Callihan’s live session for Ain’t Got No Money below.

What’s his preferred gear?

Curt definitely likes a good Stratocaster, most often seen playing one in a blonde natural finish. His love of Strats runs deep enough that Fender turned to him to introduce its American Performer Strat, letting him showcase his soulful playing on the new instrument and talk a little about why a Strat works for him.

But he’s not just a stickler for single-coils – he also plays a semi-hollow D’Angelico DC. His most recent acquisition, in terms of guitars, is a rather beautiful PRS Hollowbody:

He’s also a big fan of Keeley pedals, saying: “Once I ran my guitar through the D&M Drive I was hooked. The quality and character of the gain from both sides of the pedal is fantastic, and provides me with all the versatility I need on hand to run from an r&b/pop session straight to a country festival. The Caverns is cut from the same cloth. Both the delay and the reverb are very high quality and stand well on their own, but having them together in one unit and being able to stack them is just amazing.”

What will he be doing at Guitar.com Live?

Curt Henderson is a guest speaker for the panel on building an artist brand in the digital age, where she’ll share tips on cultivating a fanbase and maintaining an online presence.

Guitar.com Live is a first-of-its-kind virtual guitar show set to take place across 2-4 October. Alongside Curt Henderson, heavyweights the likes of Joe Bonamassa, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Angie Swan will appear at the event.

Register now for early access and advance updates at guitar.com/live.

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