Michael Henderson

Cast

Born

July 7, 1951 · Yazoo City, Mississippi, USA

Died

June 19, 2022

A gifted session bassist, Michael Henderson rose to national prominence in the late 1970s as an R&B/funk vocalist with such hits as "Take Me I'm Yours" and "Wide Receiver." A native of Yazoo City, Mississippi, as a child, Henderson relocated to Detroit with his mother. A self-taught musician, Henderson started on cello before switching to the bass. He was already performing professionally as a pre-teenager. He toured with the Detroit Emeralds as a youngster which led to session work with Stevie Wonder and other Motown acts. At Motown, Henderson was influenced by the legendary bassist James Jamerson. In the early 1970s, Henderson helped update the sound of Miles Davis as a member of his band. Henderson followed his stint with Davis as a vocalist for Norman Connors on "Valentine Love" (a duet with Jean Carne) and "You are My Starship." Another notable vocal collaboration was with Phyllis Hyman. Their duet "Can't We Fall in Love Again" was a top 10 R&B hit in 1981. Although Henderson stopped recording in the late 1980s, he remained a popular concert performer with a legion of devoted fans.