This is Bluegrass radio celebrity founder of the legendary Bluegrass Parlar passed away this week after a recent heart ailment. and Tom was the host of the popular bluegrass music show on WMNF, 88.5 FM, Tampa community radio station
Henderson was a founding member of The Bluegrass Parlor Band and started his bluegrass show “This is Bluegrass” in 1971 on WMNF. Tom was known across the United States and was a long time supporter and promoter of the music and festival. The International Bluegrass Music Association awarded Tom Henderson a Distinguished Achievement Award in 1988, then known as a Certificate of Merit, but nothing is likely to match the impact of his work with young musicians. Click here to find out more about Tom the Bluegrass Parlor.
| Buckaroos, it is with heavy heart we pass the news that our very good friend Tom Henderson has gone on to "God's Golden Shore" this week. You may know of Tom's many accomplishes in life;in army intelligence, he was stationed in Germany in the late 50's where he started playing bluegrass music and met his wife and partner for life, Chris, came back to his home in Virginia where he carried on his passion forming several bluegrass bands, then moved to Florida, becoming a dj on WHBO, WUSF, and finally WMNF (community radio 88.5 where he coined the phrase "the station to the extreme left...(long pause)...on your radio dial"),his show THIS IS BLUEGRASS was on the air for over 40yrs. He owned the little music store in Tampa called the Bluegrass Parlor where pickers from all around the world would come to jam and carried on with his band The Bluegrass Parlor Band spawning youngsters who learned their trade and grew to be some of Nashville's top bluegrass sidemen. Tom Henderson was one of our best friends and the best friend bluegrass music could have...we'll miss you pardner, see you down the trail... Happy McKenzie, Crabgrass Cowboys |
