Daily Inspiration: Meet Robert Henson

After graduating from the Indiana University School of Music in 1995 I stayed in the midwest and began writing and performing regionally with the funk-rock band Fambooey, and then I joined the ska-punk band Johnny Socko in 1998 performing over 250 shows in that year throughout the US riding around in a stinky van. My rock star dreams bruised and torn, I then returned to Atlanta in 1999 and got a job managing the Atlanta Music Center.

From 2000 – 2004, while holding down the day job, I developed my reputation as a versatile bass player willing to play anything, and by 2005 I was able to become a full-time freelance bass player. Since that time I have performed with a diverse array of musicians and ensembles such as the Atlanta Opera Orchestra, Corey Smith, Yacht Rock Review, Telegram, David Ryan Harris, Dappled Greys, Electric Avenue, the Atlanta Pops Orchestra, Alpha Omega, Vecinos Del Mundo, Kingsized, as well as many other Atlanta based jazz bands and studio work.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
When I look back on my life I feel that my career trajectory has been pretty smooth all things considered. I am lucky to have been able to avoid the common pitfalls that can really hinder a creative career. One example is that I learned early on to live below my means so I never went into debt. I also never cared to party that much, and if I am not performing I just prefer to be a homebody. I never had the aspirations to try NYC or LA where it’s way more competitive even though the gig opportunities might be loftier. Atlanta has simply always been my home, and there are a lot of opportunities to perform music here if you are open to it and focused.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?

The band started honing in this concept while performing two nights a week at Atlas restaurant in Buckhead from 2015 – 2018, and the exposure from that residency soon led to Lilac Wine receiving numerous offers to perform at higher-end corporate and private events as well as music festivals. Since that time the band has firmly established a solid niche in the Atlanta music scene by providing uniquely arranged popular music with an organic acoustic sound that enhances all types of events calling for upbeat listening music. I’m very blessed to say that Lilac Wine has been the most successful musical venture of my career, both musically and financially. I really work hard as a band leader/business owner nurturing great relationships with my musicians and the clientele who hire us repeatedly year after year.

My fellow musicians are definitely the most important ingredient to how Lilac Wine sounds and operates. The most current lineup includes guitarist Tim Ussery and vocalists Gbeke Fawehinmi and Auriyan Tillman who replaced longtime founding guitarist Grant Reynolds and vocalists Larissa Mia Boyce and Alexandrea Lushington. I also have a wonderful staff of extra players who continue to perform with me including guitarist Steve Cunningham, bassist Mark Lehi Jones, and vocalists Ansley Stewart and Kourtney Jackson. All of these singers and instrumentalists have contributed immeasurably to the concept of Lilac Wine.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?

I am always looking to collaborate with other musicians who are eager to explore creative ways of presenting engaging music with distinctive musicality and challenging an audience’s preconceptions of what a band can or should be. I think it’s vitally important that musicians continue to find new and innovative ways to nurture live music in our local community.

Lilac Wine is always eager to play anytime and anywhere – just reach out! Also, I must say a big thank you to our supporters who continue to follow us and have hired us over the years. These people truly turned my dream into reality.