Judy, Henry & Jack Home / Contact Info

With their feet firmly rooted in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Judy, Henry & Jack of Roanoke, Virginia bring new excitement to traditional songs. They depart from most other traditional groups by offering their music calmly and absent frantic speed, yet filled with all of the tragedy and comedy the music can offer.

Veteran players, Judy, Henry & Jack have developed new arrangements to compliment the character of each song they choose. Limiting the group to only three, they rely on musicianship to create the fullness of their sound. The results are often spectacular, and both pleasing and memorable to all who hear them.

Judy’s bass is the solid foundation on which the group is founded. Having lived her life in the Roanoke Valley, she also brings cultural maturity and a refinement of musical taste so apparent in their selections. Her clear, uncluttered style of playing and singing charms all who hear her.

Henry, Judy’s husband of ten years, is a mainstay among the best musicians in southwestern Virginia Mountains and the Virginia-Carolina Piedmont. He is a virtuoso player with many regional titles to his credit.

His sense of style and harmony fills the spaces, colors their arrangements leaving the unmistakable mark of excellence on their music. Henry’s virtuosity extends from the mandolin and guitar to the banjo.

Jack’s lead singing harkens to his inspirations…the likes of Burl Ives, Doc Watson and Mac Wiseman. While his original works take a different melodic direction, they stay within the musical traditional. Supported by the perfect accompaniment of Judy and Henry, his lead singing is heartfelt with an added touch of sophistication, all well within this diverse musical genre.

Judy, Henry & Jack perform live throughout the region, and any enthusiast of traditional string music would be well-pleased to attend a show. Their performances include some humor, occasionally the cultural background of a song, and their audiences invariably feel the urge to join in. Both Christian and secular programs are performed to the delight of their growing crowds of fans.

We are so happy to hear from so many folks regarding our music and just to say 'Hello'. Jack monitors these email messages and will try to get back to you quickly. To contact any of us for any reason, including performance scheduling please send us an email using the following form:

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Here are links to some of the fine radio stations now playing our music

WTSB Radio, AM 1090

“Where The Stories Break," broacasting from Smithfield, NC.
http://www.wtsbradio.com/

WBRF Radio, FM 89.1

“Blue Ridge Country”

broadcasting from Galax, VA
http://www.blueridgecountry98.com/

WPAQ Radio, AM 740

“Voice of the Blue Ridge”
http://www.wpaq740.com/

Bluegrass fm

89.5 in Fredricksburg, VA and

91.7 in Lynchburg, VA,

“Blugrass 24/7”
http://www.bluegrassfm.org/

WFLO fm 95.7 & am 870

“Your Home Town Radio Station”

in Farmville, VA
http://wflo.net/

Here are the lyrics to our first recorded song,

"The Green Rolling Hills of West Virginia," originally written by Bruce "Utah" Phillips, with the last verse by Hazel Dickens & Alice Gerrard.

Chorus

The green rolling hills of West Virginia
are the nearest thing to heaven that I know.
Though the times are sad and drear
and I cannot linger here.
They’ll keep me and never let me go.
verse 1
My Daddy said, “Don’t ever be a miner,
for a miner’s grave is all you’ll ever own.”

For there’re hard times everywhere;
I can’t find a dime to spare.
These are the worst times I’ve ever known.
verse 2
So I’ll move away into some crowded city;
in some northern factory town, you’ll find me there.
Though I’ll leave the past behind
I’ll never change my mind.
These troubled times are more than I can bear.
verse 3
But someday I’ll go back to West Virginia
to the green rolling hills I love so well.
Yes, someday I’ll go home
and I know I’ll right the wrong
these troubled times will follow me no more.

We are often asked about our instruments and songs. Here is a

brief note about some of what we play, and we will also feature the lyrics to a song

we perform every couple of weeks.

-Henry's Mandolin-

a wonderful A-style mandolin from

2007 by Ward Elliot of Riner, Virginia.

It features maple sides, back and neck with a red spruce top and varnish finish.

-Henry's Other Mandolin-

a wonderful A-style instrument built by David Houchens of Charlottesville, VA

-Henry's Guitar-

a 1995 CF Martin D-15 guitar from with mahogany body and neck. He uses medium Martin strings. Henry plays with a thumb pick and fingenails.

-Judy's Electric Bass-

a Fender Precision Bass.

-Judy's Acoustic Bass-

a 1996 Englehart 3/4 bass.

-Jack's Guitar-

a custom-made CF Martin guitar from 1994, produced in the CF Martin Custom Shop to the spec's of a 1934 D-28, except using Indian Rosewood. The strings are phosphor-bronze light-gauge Euphanons.

-Jack's Other Guitar-

a 1918 1-21 CF Martin "parlor guitar" strung with extra-light gauge

Thomastik-Infeld Plectrum strings.

-Jack's Banjo-

a 1925 Gibson Granada TB ball-bearing with a David Houchens 5-string neck. This is a rare and wonderful-sounding instrument that looks plays like a dream.

-Jack's Other Banjo-

a 1930's Orpheum No. 2 12 1/8" pot with its original 5-string neck. The 28" string scale makes it interesting to play.