JOE H HENRY EMBRACES THE WILD WITH NEW EP REAL THINGS AND UPCOMING EAST COAST TOUR
With a voice “as powerful as a freight train” and a soul that carries the weight of his lived experiences, Indigenous singer-songwriter Joe H Henry unveils his latest EP, Real Things—a raw and deeply personal exploration of life’s honest moments. Fresh off nominations for ECMA Blues Recording of the Year, Americana Recording of the Year (NSMAs), and Indigenous Artist of the Year, Henry is set to bring his signature blend of gritty folk, blues, and Americana to audiences across Eastern Canada on his Spring 2025 tour.
Rooted in reflection and resilience, Real Things is a product of solitude and revelation. “I wrote this song last winter, looking out over the Bay of Fundy,” Henry recalls. “I was in a cabin our neighbors graciously offered me—away from the chaos of a house with five kids. It was my first time using this gorgeous guitar SGI sent me as part of an artist endorsement. In that moment, I realized—how did this once homeless, train-hopping, castaway of society find himself here, embraced by love and music?” (Real Things Concept)
From Keep the Fire Burning to Real Things, Henry has continued to channel his journey from a turbulent past into songs that pulse with authenticity. His voice—somewhere between Ray LaMontagne’s smokiness and Steve Earle’s grit—delivers every lyric with the conviction of someone who has been there. Tracks like “Quicksand,” co-written with Chris Kirby and Clara Blanchard, and “Bad Dude,” featuring Dave Gunning, pulse with the kind of folk storytelling that John Prine and Guy Clark made legendary.
With drummers Geoff Arsenault and Patrick Murphy, bassists Ron Hynes, Dan Baird, and Dave Gunning, and engineering by Lil Thomas (Sonic Temple) and John McLaggan (Parachute Mastering), Real Things captures the essence of Henry’s philosophy: to find solace in life’s simplest and truest moments. “Maybe the wilds of our minds feed the tide and keep rivers flowing.” (“Real Things”)
Henry’s Spring 2025 tour will see him perform alongside acclaimed artists like Brian Borcherdt (Holy F*, Dusted)** and deliver his own intimate solo and trio sets. With stops including The Carleton (Halifax, NS – SOLD OUT), Trailside Music Hall (Charlottetown, PEI), and the East Coast Music Awards in St. John’s, NFLD, Henry is ready to take the road once again, bringing his stories and songs to audiences ready to listen.
Hi Joe! Good to meet you! Care to introduce yourselves to the readers?
The pleasure is truly all mine, thank you kindly for all that you do! My name is Joe H Henry, I am a singer, and songwriter, and am lucky to be a purveyor of tones and moments. With a patchwork past of vast musical influences and collected lessons, I try to pass on what my life has given me through my art in hopes that it finds the right home at the exact right time to create a spark and show everyone the magic that is inside of them and us, together.
You’ve said Real Things was born out of solitude and reflection. What did the stillness of that winter moment overlooking the Bay of Fundy reveal to you that you hadn’t seen before?
The moment presented to me in technicolor as if I had been seeing it in greyscale up until then. A path that had been worn through with questioning decisions and second-guessing myself in so many ways became a distant memory as I looked upon a wonder of the world in awe of the moment and realized that everything truly happens for a reason, no matter how great or terrible. It is only when we live fully within the moment that we can understand there is an entire world of possibility in front of us and the only way to take hold is by putting our collected lessons into a positive light and turning the switch for the world to see, in hopes we all understand how brightly we can burn together.
You described yourself as a “once homeless, train-hopping castaway”—how do you hold space for that past version of yourself while standing on today’s stages?
By being 100% true to myself and the fans who make it possible for all of me to live in the moments we share through honesty, story, and song. Together and undivided.
“Only a Whisper” and “Bad Dude” are emotionally charged and collaborative. What did Chris Kirby, Claira Blanchard, and Dave Gunning bring out in you that you might not have found alone?
Each of those magical individuals showed me who they were at their core on many occasions so it gave me the permission to be part of creating something together that never existed prior to the moment. Collaboration to me is where we can have a true discussion through our most primal means of communication, creative mind, and unbridled art.
As you continue this tour, what are you hoping to leave behind in each room you play—and what are you hoping to carry with you from the road?
I always try to leave every moment better and brighter than I found it. My only hope is that the piece of me I leave on every stage lives to shine a light on what we can accomplish together, even if only as a warm reminder of the happiness we shared, on the sometimes cold days we all might feel we have to face alone. I will always carry the imprints of communal smiles and joy in my heart and mind like postcards to remember the places everyone has shared with me on the journey.
2025 Tour Dates:
April 12 – Lunenburg Folk Harbour Concert Series @ Lunenburg Opera House – Lunenburg, NS
April 19 – East Coast Amateur Boxing Club – Halifax, NS
April 26 – House Concert – Miramichi, NB
May 2 – Sea-Esta House Concerts – Canning, NS
May 7-12 – East Coast Music Awards (Showcasing Artist) – St. John’s, NFLD
May 16 – Paddlefest Music & Nature Festival – Saint Andrews, NB
June 13 – Osprey Arts Centre (Trio) – Shelburne, NS
June 14 – King’s Theatre (Trio) – Annapolis Royal, NS
June 22 – North Mountain United Tapestry – Berwick, NS