Mike Henderson, who cofounded the SteelDrivers with Chris Stapleton and later won Grammys and CMAs for Stapleton’s solo hits, has died.
Country-bluegrass-blues songwriter and instrumentalist Mike Henderson, who won Grammy and CMA awards as a collaborator of country superstar Chris Stapleton, died Friday at age 70. His wife of nearly 45 years, Janet, said in a post on the musician’s website that he had been in “very good health” before dying peacefully in his sleep.
The Missouri native’s death was initially confirmed in a Facebook post by his former band, the SteelDrivers, which he cofounded with Stapleton and several other players in 2006. Stapleton left the group in 2010 and Henderson followed a year later, although the band continues with an evolving lineup today.
Even though he released solo albums before and after his tenure in the SteelDrivers, Henderson ultimately found his greatest renown as a songwriting partner of Stapleton’s.
The first Stapleton song to go to No 1 on the country airplay chart, “Broken Halos,” was a Stapleton-Henderson cowrite; it won the 2018 Grammy for country song of the year and a CMA Award the same year for song of the year. The songwriting comrades returned to the CMA winners’ circle in 2021 when another country chart-topper, “Starting Over,” was named song of the year. He was also nominated for three Grammys with the SteelDrivers in 2009-2011.
“It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of Mike,” his wife, Janet, wrote 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.”
Other cowrites between Henderson and Stapleton that appeared on the latter star’s wildly successful solo albums in recent years included “Second One to Know,” “Without Your Love,” “Death Row,” “Nobody’s Lonely Tonight” and “Midnight Train to Memphis.
