Vancouver Folk Music Festival

July 14 to 16, 2023

Joe Henry | ME

With a career that’s spanned more than three decades, songwriter, musician, producer, poet, and essayist Joe Henry has left an indelible imprint on American popular music. A hyper-literate storyteller who is by turns dark, devastating, and hopeful, Henry is celebrated for his exploration of the human experience.

His music crosses genres that include rock, folk, country, soul, and jazz, and his songs are strikingly visual narratives of everyday life rich in detail and imagery. Henry’s melodies are uncluttered and elegant, with an eclectic style that allows his songs to span the entire arc of USA tradition.

He is held in high regard by musicians for his evolving sound, evocative and introspective lyrics, and superb producing skills. He has won three Grammys in blues and folk categories for producing albums by Solomon Burke, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, and the Carolina Chocolate Drops.

Joe Henry has been through some tough times since his last appearance at VFMF in 2017, playing with Billy Bragg. In 2018 he was told he had Stage 4 prostate cancer and only had months to live. He has since recovered and created some of the most evocative music of his long career. We are thrilled and grateful to to welcome this extraordinary artist back to Jericho Beach.