Background
Born in Lakeland, Florida but raised in Los Angeles, she was the daughter of an African American clergyman and the granddaughter of a Blackfoot Native American.
Born in Lakeland, Florida but raised in Los Angeles, she was the daughter of an African American clergyman and the granddaughter of a Blackfoot Native American.
She initially worked as a civil servant but became interested in music after seeing a performance by Odetta at the famed Los Angeles folk venue the Ash Grove. She soon became a regular at Sunset Boulevard"s jazz clubs and soon began to perform autoharp version of tunes from Alan Lomax"s The Folk Songs of North America. Henderson got her break when she met Lord Buckley and joined him for a series of stage shows in Hollywood, including an appearance playing "Rock of Ages" on one of Buckley"s live albums.
Having gained some recognition from her association with Buckley Henderson decided to devote her attentions ot music full-time and moved to New York City in order to do so at a time when the city"s Greenwich Village area was the centre of a boom in American folk music
Henderson"s brother served in England with the United States Air Force and, following encouragement from him, she travelled to London, staying at a hotel in the Hampstead area. lieutenant"s All Happening, appearing alongside such stars of the time as Tom Jones and Sandie Shaw.
After meeting John Renbourn at The Roundhouse she offered the young guitarist the chance to accompany her and the duo recorded two albums together - There You Go (1965) and Watch the Stars (1967). After an encounter with the Dutch folk singer Cobi Schreijer at the same venue she also undertook a European tour encompassing thirteen countries.
After marrying Mac McGann, formerly of the Levee Breakers, Henderson settled in Twickenham and largely retired from music, bar some jingle work and a few appearance with Bob Kerr.
Henderson died in 2005 after battling against cancer.
