A co-founder of bluegrass band SteelDrivers and a longtime Chris Stapleton collaborator, Mike Henderson died unexpectedly on Friday (Sept. 22) at age 70.
The Grammy award-winning band broke the news on Facebook.
"All the SteelDrivers, past and present, are in shock today as we have lost our original architect," the post read.
"It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of Mike," Henderson's wife, Janet, shared in a statement. "He was a wonderful husband, father, and the love of my life for almost 45 years. We followed his dreams, and colleagues, friends and fans allowed him to achieve a level of success we never imagined. He most valued his friends who meant everything. Although Mike was in very good health, he died peacefully in his sleep yesterday morning. Myself and our daughters are devastated but we know we can get through this with all your love for Mike that we are are basking in. Thank you. We couldn't be prouder."
SteelDrivers is best known for providing former lead vocalist Chris Stapleton with some early exposure. Henderson and Stapleton co-founded the band in 2006.
Henderson and Stapleton remained constant co-writers, with the duo sharing credit for Stapleton's first country airplay No. 1, 2017's "Broken Halos." The pair also collaborated on such Stapleton standards as "Starting Over," "Second One to Know" and "Midnight Train to Memphis."
Before he connected with Stapleton, Henderson was prolific as a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer, with notable gigs ranging from releasing major label solo album Country Music Made Me Do It in 1994 to a nearly 40-year run of fronting a blues band for the Bluebird Cafe's Monday night residency.
"It's hard to imagine a Bluebird Cafe without Mike Henderson spearheading a Monday night, plugged-in, anti-SHHHH blues night," reads a statement from the venue. "From the mid-'80s until today, Mike's presence was as steadfast as his playing. He was one of the people who, over the years, became such a piece of the club's fabric that his loss has truly taken our collective breath away. We were stunned at the news, disbelieving and now trying to find a way of accepting a loss so profound that it feels like the walls of the club might just crumble. Words just can't cover the emptiness and pain. Sending love to Janet and Mike's family as we share this heartbreak."
