Trey Hensley grew up in Telford, Tennessee where he started out singing in a gospel group at 6 years old. His interest in bluegrass guitar developed after hearing Charlie Waller and Jimmy Martin perform at a festival several years later. Just a few months after Hensley learned to play the guitar, he was invited to perform Jimmy Brown the Newsboy on the Grand Ole Opry with Marty Stuart and Earl Scruggs. Not long after his Opry debut, Hensley met Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash at the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, VA where he performed with Johnny Cash and other members of the Carter Family. Hensley also performed at June Carter Cash's birthday party in June of 2002. Johnny Cash introduced Hensley to Tom T. Hall who produced his first bluegrass album in 2003 titled First Time Out. Other bluegrass albums that Hensley recorded and produced with his bluegrass band Drivin' Force include Backin' to Birmingham on Copper Creek Records, Third Time Out and Songs of Faith on Hog Holler Records. Over the years Trey Hensley has performed with and opened shows for many artists such as Charlie Daniels, Steve Wariner, The Oak Ridge Boys, Ricky Skaggs, Blue Highway, J.D. Crowe, Marty Stuart, Earl Scruggs, Peter Frampton, Randy Owen, Sara Evans and many others. In 2008, Hensley performed at the President's Dinner at the White House for George W. Bush and a private event for wounded soldiers at the Vice President's residence along with Charlie Daniels.
Recordings
World Full of Blues (2019)
World Full of Blues is the third album released by Trey Hensley and duo partner, Rob Ickes. This album showcases a myriad of Hensley's influences from bluegrass and Americana to the blues. The album was produced by GRAMMY-winning producer Brent Maher and released on Compass Records label on October 4, 2019. The album features guest artists including Vince Gill on the Grateful Dead's Brown-Eyed Women, and Taj Mahal on the original title trackWorld Full of Blues. This album was also recorded live in the studio like Hensley's other projects, at the Blueroom in Nashville, Tennessee with minimal over-dubs.
The Country Blues is the second album released by Hensley and Rob Ickes. This album was co-produced by Hensley and recorded live at Compass Records with minimal over-dubs. In addition to Hensley and Ickes, The Country Blues featured guest vocals from Vince Gill, Carl Jackson, John Randall Stewart, Robinella, and Shawn Lane and musicians including Mike Bub, John Alvey, and Ron Block.
Before the Sun Goes Down (2015)
Before the Sun Goes Down was the debut album released by Trey Hensley and Rob Ickes on Compass Records. This album was co-produced by Hensley and recorded live at Compass Records with minimal over-dubs. The album featured artists including Ron Block, Mike Bub, Susanne Cox, John Gardner, Aubrey Haynie, Shawn Lane, Andy Leftwich, John Randall Stewart, Dan Tyminski, and Pete Wasner. The Country Blues was nominated in 2016 for a GRAMMY Award for Best Bluegrass Album.
It Is What It Is was Trey Hensley's sophomore Country album self-released by Kid In the Hat, LLC on November 1, 2009. This album featured musical guests including Janie Fricke, Steve Wariner, Terry Wariner, and Duane Allen, Joe Bonsall and Richard Sterban of the Oak Ridge Boys.
