Tess Henley

Music Genre: Soul, Contemporary R&B
…Seamless rhythms on a vibrant summer day cascade across the Seattle skyline as Tess Henley looks out into the audience. Sultry vocals and tight funky horns pulsate with energy. The crowd loses itself in the music while Tess nods her head in appreciation of the moment….

A professional singer who often practiced while driving her kids to sporting events around town, Tess’ mother struggled with a new song’s difficult harmonies. Singing out from the minivan’s backseat, 5-year-old Tess uncovered those lines like child’s play. “That’s when we knew she’d been blessed with exceptional ears”, says her record-collecting father.

But Tess’ connection with music had really started two years prior, when she discovered the family piano, and daily Suzuki lessons soon followed. The Japanese method of teaching music like a language helped develop those budding skills in a home that banned listening to commercial radio due to the offensive lyrics. So, Tess was raised with the sounds of James Taylor, Stevie Wonder and Motown from her mother, while her father introduced her to iconic bands such as the Beatles and Earth, Wind, and Fire. Late night listening sessions would blare non-stop from huge family room speakers as her home environment helped mold her musical taste and taught her how to appreciate, then create, timeless music.

After Dice Raw from The Roots crew took interest in her latest efforts, Tess began recording her full-length album in Philadelphia, the epicenter of a soul sound all it’s own. The Seattle songwriter is fusing her voice and vision with Dice and his talented team, including Khari Mateen (The Roots, Jill Scott, J*DaVeY). Tess’ music has already received international acclaim, sans the aid of a label or a manager. This special collaboration, paired with Tess’ creativity and single-minded focus, should produce impressive new high-water marks for the rising artist.

Biographical information courtesy of Tess Henley website

http://tesshenley.com/bio/
http://tesshenley.com/music/
http://tesshenley.com/video/