Chris Hennessee

By Owen Canavan

Chris Hennessee is one of those guys you see at the bar and you just know he's a little different. Though indeed there are several of those guys in this world, Hennessee was the type that simply reeked of Southern rock. Embodying the central characteristics that define such a musician, again, Hennessee had something else going on. True charisma. Genuine personality. He was commanding, yet positively humble. It would be a year's worth of Tuesday nights that I would watch him sing and play rhythm alongside Charlie Daniels Band alum and current Skynyrd guitarist Mark Matejka - known affectionately as "Sparky" - before I would have the privilege of meeting him for the first time. Today, we are good friends, and although his hopes of making it big as a country artist may be running thin due to his recent engagement, current age and the status quo of the industry, he is the epitome of what I love about this genre of music.

Raised in the model tiny Southern town of Decatur, Tenn., Hennessee noted that his "... parents were more than supportive of (his) wanting to move to Nashville to pursue music." Since it was not until his 24th birthday that they allowed him to do so, Hennessee had already become accustomed to playing the "Dixieland Delight" and Skynyrd standards, which may have been the saving grace that kept him on his feet in those first few years in Nashville. He mentioned that "... no matter how tired I get of playing ‘Sweet Home Alabama,' it's still a pretty sweet tune."

While most musicians credit countless artists as having been an influence in their original music, it's noteworthy that though Hennessee grew up listening to several different groups, there is only a handful of bands who have had direct influence in the way in which he goes about writing music. Best described as "Southern Country Blues," Hennessee's music draws chiefly from The Marshall Tucker Band, the Allmans, Alabama, Billy Joe Shaver and Merle Haggard. There are more improvisational, bluesy songs like "My House of Blues" and "She's My Girl" that are reminiscent of the former two bands, and then there exist straight ahead country originals also like "Lorali" and "Hummingbird" that are just as catchy. Hennessee's originals need to be credited for their versatility and flexibility. His music allows for sparsity and silence between chord changes to be as beautiful as the soaring guitar leads found also in the music - an uncommon, yet readily welcomed skill. With respect to his vocals, I'd be hard-pressed to name a singer that can work inflection better on a microphone than Hennessee. Not only does his presence on stage allow for natural interactions with the audience mid-song, but also he can project and emphasize lyrics in a very unique way. Capable of "...staying in his own world while making sure to get a taste of his right world," Hennessee refers to the way in which he became such a proficient rhythm player with comping his lead guitarist to his right on stage. His choice vocals stem directly from the keenness of his ear.

Hennessee responded in a somewhat prophetic way when I asked how songwriters hold on to hope that a big artist will someday cut one of his songs by saying, "Well, it doesn't hurt if you're old drinking buddies with some of them ... but the bottom line is you must be present to win. If you leave Nashville you'll be forgotten in no time."
- Inside Vandy