Ken Hensley

Kenneth William David Hensley (24 August 1945 – 4 November 2020) was an English musician, singer, songwriter and producer, best known for his work with Uriah Heep during the 1970s.

He wrote or co-wrote the majority of Uriah Heep's songs during this period, including the singles "Lady in Black" (on which he sang lead vocals), "Easy Livin' and "Stealin', as well as "Look at Yourself" and "Free Me".

Early life

Born in Plumstead, south-east London, Hensley moved with his parents, three brothers and sister to Stevenage, Hertfordshire, in 1945. He learned how to play guitar at the age of 12 from a Bert Weedon manual.

Career

1960s

His first gig was at The Mentmore Pen Factory, in Stevenage (September 1960). After that, he played with The Blue Notes, Ken and the Cousins and Kit and the Saracens (1962).

thumb|Hensley performing with [[Uriah Heep (band)|Uriah Heep in 1977|left]]

The band's "classic" line-up featured Hensley, Byron, Box, Kerslake and bassist Gary Thain, plus the management provided by Gerry Bron (Bronze Records). During his time with Heep (1970–1980), they recorded 13 studio albums, and the live album Uriah Heep Live – January 1973 along with many compilations and singles. Hensley also recorded his first two solo albums, Proud Words on a Dusty Shelf (1973) and Eager To Please (1975) during this time. a collection of lost recordings, was released featuring rare songs recorded by Hensley between 1971 and 1982, as well as some early versions of Heep's classic songs, played by Hensley and his roommates at that time, namely guitarist Paul Kossoff and drummer Simon Kirke (both of Free). Other musicians on the songs were bassist Boz Burrell (King Crimson and Bad Company), guitarist Mick Ralphs (Mott the Hoople, Bad Company), drummers Ian Paice (Deep Purple, Whitesnake) and Kenney Jones (The Small Faces, The Faces, The Who), as well as Jeff Allen, Denny Ball, Trevor Bolder, Mark Clarke, B. J. Cole, Pat Leonard, Dave Markee, Linton Naiff, Warren "Bugs" Pemberton, Henry Spinetti, Liza Strike, and Clare Torry. With them were Paul Newton (the band's original bassist) and two members of Lawton's band, Reuben Kane on lead guitar and Justin Shefford on drums. This concert was recorded and released as a CD/DVD.

Running Blind, his first effort in 21 years, was released worldwide in 2002, and followed by a world tour with his band called "Free Spirit", that included Dave Kilminster (guitar), Andy Pyle (bass) and Pete Riley (drums).

In September 2008, Hensley went on stage again with former Heep bandmates Lawton, Kerslake and Newton, along with ex-Focus guitarist Jan Dumée, for the "Heepvention 2008" fans meeting.

Hensley continued to write and record a series of new albums, beginning with a collection of songs under the title of Love & Other Mysteries, recorded near his home in Spain and followed in 2011 by Faster, his first studio recording of new songs with his live band, Live Fire. A CD of one of his solo concerts was released by Cherry Red Records in 2013, shortly followed by a live CD recorded with Live Fire during a September/October tour. Trouble, an album of 10 new songs recorded with a revised Live Fire line-up, was released, again by Cherry Red, in September the same year.

Legacy

W.A.S.P.'s frontman Blackie Lawless stated that "Ken Hensley wrote the rule book for heavy metal keyboards as far as I'm concerned."

thumb|Ken Hensley bronze portrait by sculptor [[Giennadij Jerszow 2014]]

In 2014, Polish and Ukrainian sculptor Giennadij Jerszow created a bronze portrait of Hensley.

Personal life and death

In later years, Hensley and his fourth wife Monica lived in the village of Agost near Alicante in Spain. He was cremated in Spain.

Bands and guest appearances

The Gods (1965–1969) – lead vocals, keyboards, occasional guitar
Toe Fat (1969–1970) – guitars, backing vocals, keyboards
Head Machine (1970) – lead vocals, keyboards, guitars (This was a one-album project put together by a producer)
Uriah Heep (1970–1980) – keyboards, backing and lead vocals, acoustic and slide guitar, primary songwriter
Weed (1971) – lead vocals, keyboards, guitars (A one-album side project for Hensley. The other musicians playing on the album are thought to have been from a German band called Virus)
Shotgun (1981) – lead vocals, keyboards, guitars
Ken Hensley Band (1981) – lead vocals, keyboards, guitars
Blackfoot (1982–1985) – keyboards, backing vocals, slide guitar
Ken Hensley & Visible Faith (1999) – lead vocals, keyboards, guitars
Hensley/Lawton Band (2000–2001) – keyboards, guitars, lead and backing vocals
Ken Hensley/John Wetton (2001) – keyboards, guitars, lead and backing vocals
Ken Hensley & Free Spirit (2002) – keyboards, guitars, lead vocals
Ayreon (2004) - Hammond solo on the track 'Day Sixteen: Loser' on the album The Human Equation
Ken Hensley & The Viking All-Stars Band (2005) – keyboards, guitars, lead vocals
Ken Hensley & Live Fire (2006–2020) – keyboards, guitars, lead vocals
Sunrize (2011) – Touring together with the Bulgarian rock band Sunrize during their Rock on the Rocks tour 2011.

Timeline

Discography

Solo albums

Proud Words on a Dusty Shelf (1973) - AUS No. 57
Eager to Please (1975)
Free Spirit (1980)
The Best of Ken Hensley (compilation, 1990)
From Time to Time (1994)
A Glimpse of Glory (1999)
Ken Hensley Anthology (compilation, 2000)
Running Blind (2002)
The Last Dance (2003)
The Wizard's Diary Vol. 1 (compilation, CD/DVD, 2004)
Cold Autumn Sunday (2005)
Elements – Anthology 1968 to 2005 (compilation, 2006)
Inside the Mystery (compilation, 2006)
Blood on the Highway (The Ken Hensley Story - When Too Many Dreams Come True) (2006)
Ken Hensley with Live Fire In Concert / Norway (live at Folkets Hus, Gressvik, Norway, 28 November 2005; DVD, 2007)
Blood on the Highway (live at the Fabrik, Hamburg, Germany, 22 May 2007; DVD, 2008)
Love & Other Mysteries (2012)
Live Tales (live, 2013)
Rare & Timeless (compilation, 2018)
My Book of Answers (2021)

With The Gods

Genesis (1968)
To Samuel A Son (1969)
The Gods Featuring Ken Hensley (1976)

With Head Machine

Orgasm (1969)

With Toe Fat

Toe Fat (1970)

With Uriah Heep

...Very 'Eavy ...Very 'Umble (1970)
Salisbury (1971)
Look at Yourself (1971)
Demons and Wizards (1972)
The Magician's Birthday (1972)
Uriah Heep Live (live, 1973)
Sweet Freedom (1973)
Wonderworld (1974)
Return to Fantasy (1975)
The Best of Uriah Heep (compilation, 1975)
High and Mighty (1976)
Firefly (1977)
Innocent Victim (1977)
Fallen Angel (1978)
Conquest (1980)
Live at Shepperton '74 (live, 1986)
Live in Europe 1979 (live, 1986)
Still 'Eavy Still Proud (compilation, 1990)
Rarities From The Bronze Age (compilation, 1991)
The Lansdowne Tapes (1993)
A Time of Revelation (1996)
Live in San Diego 1974 (live, 1997)
The Magician's Birthday Party (live, recorded 2001, released 2002)
Chapter & Verse – The Uriah Heep Story (compilation, 2005)

With Weed

Weed...! (1971)

With Blackfoot

Siogo (1983)
Vertical Smiles (1984)
KBFH Presents Blackfoot Live 1983 (live, 1998)

With John Lawton

The Return (live, 2001)
Salisbury Live (live, 2001)

With John Wetton

More Than Conquerors (live, 2002)
One Way Or Another (live, 2002)

With Ken Hensley & Live Fire

Faster (2011)
Live Fire LIVE (live, 2013)
Trouble (2013)
Live in Russia (live, 2019)

Books

Uriah Heep – 10 Jahre Rockmusik, Markus Ott and Ken Hensley (1980)
When Too Many Dreams Come True – The Ken Hensley Story (2006)
Easy Livin' Ken Hensleyn vuodet 1970-1980, Mika Järvinen (2013)