Chief among Jim Henry's many talents is his ability to craft songs that hark back to the beauty of America's roots music. The acoustic guitarist and singer/songwriter has a number of competition wins to his credit, including top place in a songwriter's competition sponsored by the Great Woods Folk Festival. He also garnered a nomination from the Boston Music Awards. In addition, his refined skill in flat-picking a guitar also has brought him a few championship titles. Before embarking on a career as a solo artist, Henry spent time with the Sundogs, a roots rock band out of San Francisco. With the group, he performed three consecutive years on the stage of the Newport Folk Festival. He also spent time with the Burns Sisters, a country-folk-rock outfit, as a guitarist. A Kansas native, Henry grew up in Virginia. He later relocated to Massachusetts. His first solo release, Into the Blue, was issued in 1993. The debut garnered critical praise and good airplay on New England radio stations. Henry supported the album by touring the region. He followed up with Jacksonville two years later. Darlene Wilson, who has acted as producer for such artists as singer/songwriters Bill Morrissey and Patty Larkin, worked on Henry's second release. The CD also featured musical contributions from Jennifer Kimball, Brooks Williams, Duke Levine, and Ellis Paul. During 1996, Henry toured and performed while also collaborating with Williams on an album issued by Signature Sounds, Ring Some Changes, which hit store shelves the following year. ~ Linda Seida