Kent Henry Plischke (April 5, 1948 – March 18, 2009), known as Kent Henry, was an American guitarist and songwriter best known for his contributions to Steppenwolf and

Blues Image Blues Image was an American rock band. They had a hit in 1970 with " Ride Captain Ride", which reached No. 4 on both the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and the Canadian RPM magazine charts. Career Blues Image was formed in Miami, Florida in 1966 ...

.Uncredited
Kent Henry: Guitarist with Steppenwolf and Blues Image
Obituary, ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

'', March 30, 2009; ''The Independent''.

Blues Image

Henry joined Blues Image during the sessions for ''

Open Open or OPEN may refer to: Music * Open (band), Australian pop/rock band * The Open (band), English indie rock band * ''Open'' (Blues Image album), 1969 * ''Open'' (Gerd Dudek, Buschi Niebergall, and Edward Vesala album), 1979 * ''Open'' (Go ...

'' after

Mike Pinera Carlos Michael Pinera (September 29, 1948 – November 20, 2024) was an American guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer who started professionally in the late 1960s with the group Blues Image, which had a number 4 hit in 1970 with their song ...

agreed to join

Iron Butterfly Iron Butterfly was an American rock band formed in San Diego, California, in 1966. They are best known for the 1968 hit " In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", providing a dramatic sound that led the way towards the development of hard rock and heavy metal m ...

. His significant contributions to that album, although uncredited, included the tasteful clean solo and fills on " Ride Captain Ride." Mike Pinera plays the distorted solo at the end of the song. After recording ''Red, White, and Blues Image'', producer

Richard Podolor Richard Allen Podolor (January 7, 1936 – March 9, 2022) was an American record producer, songwriter and musician. His career started as a session musician in the 1950s, and he was best known as the producer of Three Dog Night. Life and career ...

suggested to Steppenwolf that Henry would be a good replacement for departed guitarist

Larry Byrom Larry Clifton Byrom (born December 27, 1948 in Huntsville, Alabama) is an American guitarist. Byrom performed in a band called the Precious Few in the 1960s, then joined T.I.M.E.; in 1970, he joined Steppenwolf. He left Steppenwolf in 1972 and ...

Steppenwolf

Henry recorded ''

For Ladies Only ''For Ladies Only'' is the sixth studio album by Canadian-American rock band Steppenwolf. The album was released in November 1971, by Dunhill Records. It is a political concept album mainly about feminism, but with several more conventional so ...

'' and toured with the band on their farewell tour, in addition to his contributions on John Kay's first solo album, ''Forgotten Songs and Unsung Heroes''. Henry was not invited to rejoin the band when it reformed to record ''

Slow Flux ''Slow Flux'' is the seventh studio album by Canadian-American rock band Steppenwolf. The album was released in August 1974, by Epic Records. In the US it was released on the Mums Records label, a short-lived CBS Records subsidiary. It was the f ...

'' and found out about it when new guitarist

Bobby Cochran Bobby Cochran (born 1950) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Bobby Cochranat Allmusic Goldy McJohn John Raymond Goadsby (May 2, 1945 – August 1, 2017), known as Goldy McJohn, was a Canadian keyboard player best known as the original keyboardist for rock group Steppenwolf. Originally a classically trained pianist, he was a pioneer in the ...

, the band's keyboardist at the time, says Henry was fired because he didn't get along well with drummer

Jerry Edmonton Gerald Michael Edmonton (born Gerald McCrohan, October 24, 1946 – November 28, 1993) was a Canadian musician who was the drummer and secondary lead vocalist for the rock band Steppenwolf. Early life and career Edmonton was born in Oshawa, ...

. Henry remained on good terms with McJohn, and played with McJohn in 1977, 1978 and 1980 versions of Steppenwolf led by McJohn, but without lead singer John Kay. At the time of Henry's death, he was planning to rejoin McJohn as part of "Goldy McJohn and Friendz", a band that McJohn had formed to play Steppenwolf songs, following the announcement that John Kay and Steppenwolf planned to substantially cease touring.

Later years

Henry settled in Portland, Oregon, as of the early 1980s, and would remain there for the balance of his life. He played in local bands (principally the

Paul deLay Paul Joseph deLay (January 31, 1952 – March 7, 2007) was an American blues vocalist and harmonicist. Life and career Paul deLay was born in Portland, Oregon Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. st ...

Blues Band) and worked primarily as a guitar technician. During his later years, Henry encountered increasing difficulties with seizures, which had originally appeared following a fall off the stage of the

Whisky a Go Go The Whisky a Go Go (informally nicknamed The Whisky) is a historic nightclub in West Hollywood, California, United States. It is located at 8901 Sunset Boulevard on the Sunset Strip, corner North Clark Street, opposite North San Vicente Boulev ...

. He also developed the early stages of

Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease and the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. As the disease advances, symptoms can include problems wit ...

shortly before his death. As a consequence of these challenges and given that care by family members was unavailable to him, Henry was under the constant care of friends, from 2005 until his death.Henry was estranged from his spouse, with his children apparently unable to care for him. His parents were deceased and his only sibling lived across the country from Portland, in Boston. See Mike and Candice Parker
Biography of Kent Henry
Kent Henry Online Memorial, www.imorial.com. Henry was taken to the hospital by his caregiver and died on the operating table.Michael Russell

The Oregonian ''The Oregonian'' is a daily newspaper based in Portland, Oregon, United States, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the West Coast of the United States, U.S. West Coast, founded as a weekly by Tho ...

, March 19, 2009; ''The Oregonian''.

Discography

Studio albums

*Genesis - ''In the Beginning'' (1968) *

Charity Charity may refer to: Common meanings * Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons * Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sha ...

- ''

Now Now most commonly refers to the present time. Now, NOW, or The Now may also refer to: Organizations * Natal Organisation of Women, a South African women's organization * National Organization for Women, an American feminist organization * Na ...

'' (1969) *

- '' Red White & Blues Image'' (1970) * Steppenwolf - ''

'' (1971) Guest appearances *

Screaming Lord Sutch Screaming Lord Sutch (born David Edward Sutch, 10 November 1940 – 16 June 1999) was an English musician and perennial parliamentary candidate. He was the founder of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party and served as its leader from 1983 t ...

- ''

Lord Sutch and Heavy Friends ''Lord Sutch and Heavy Friends'' is the debut album of English rock singer Screaming Lord Sutch. Recording began in May 1969 at Mystic Studios in Hollywood and it was released on Cotillion Records in 1970. The album featured an all-star line-u ...

'' (1970) *

- ''

'' (1970) * John Kay - '' Forgotten Songs and Unsung Heroes'' (1972) *John Kay - '' My Sportin' Life'' (1973)

Singles

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Henry, Kent American heavy metal guitarists Songwriters from California 2009 deaths Musicians from Hollywood, Los Angeles 1948 births Musicians from Portland, Oregon Blues Image members Steppenwolf (band) members 20th-century American musicians Guitarists from California Guitarists from Oregon 20th-century American guitarists