Back in the 20th Century, I spent a month traveling around the USA with pianist Henry Butler. Every single night, this man would set the entire house on fire. New Orleans brass bands, toccata and fugue, bebop and Texas swing would explode out of the keyboard in a fresh, original symphony every night. It was a jaw-dropping tour-de-force every single night. Thousands of people would be on their feet, losing their minds, screaming their heads off.
Maybe you were one of those people, or maybe you would like to be one of those people.
I will set aside the warmth and humor that we shared, watching movies on the bus, coffee shop breakfasts, small-town shopping. Henry was a fantastic road buddy. In hindsight, it’s hard to believe that that was what I did for a living.
Now Henry needs our help. This man still has an immense amount of music to share with the world. Let’s get him back on his feet.