Pete Henry

Pete Henry - Guitar Player and Singer.

Pete first came on the local Country Music scene in 1974 after spending 12 years in the British Army. He was born on the island of St Helena, a small island in the South Atlantic Ocean, and as a small boy of three years old he would march up and down the main street on a Sunday morning singing his heart out with the local Salvation Army Band, and they would always play his favourite - "Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam". He came to England after a 12 month stay in South Africa when he was seven years old, and lived in the Fratton area of Portsmouth and attended Penhale Infant and Junior School before moving on to Kingston Secondary Modern School for Boys. It was while at this school that his maths and music teacher Mr Cann gave him guidance and encouragement and recognised his singing potential. It was also at this time that he joined the Naval Cadets and volunteered to join its church choir and went on to be head boy soprano. When he was fourteen he learned to play the guitar, watching his brother Roy who was his mentor. Prior to this his Mother persuaded him to take piano accordion lessons and made him join the junior Salvation Army Band in Portsmouth where he was to learn the silver cornet. The latter two came to an end when he failed to learn to read music, but he stuck with the guitar. It was much later in life while serving in the army that he started to take guitar playing and singing more seriously and it was at this point he began writing songs. The army encouraged him and gave him every opportunity to pursue his musical talents. He would sing for fellow soldiers and officers in their respective messes or on army shows. He was allowed to take his guitar with him so he could entertain on various locations including - Northern Ireland, Germany and Cyprus. Entertaining soldiers and locals alike. It was while in the army that he got his taste for Country Music and was dubbed Pete "Cowboy" Henry, a title he brought with him when he left the army ad stayed with him until he retired from the music scene nine years ago. He was finally persuaded to come out of retirement and to continue his music career, which he did in 2003. While he was in retirement he taught himself to piant and never stopped writing songs - a total of over 600 to date. Some of his art work has been shown on local television and he also had one of his peoms entered in the grand finale of a nationwide poetry writing competition. He has also written a musical play. So the nine years off were not wasted! What's next Pete?

Merle Haggard, Gene Watson, George Jones etc