Tess Henley

Tess Henley is an American singer-songwriter and pianist from Kent, Washington, USA. Henley began Suzuki piano training at age three, and by age five was dissecting harmonies that even her mother – a singer by trade – found difficult. Multi-Grammy winning producer Don Was recently selected Henley from over 10,000 performers as the winner of Guitar Center’s National Artist Discovery Program.

In 2008, Henley released her debut album, Easy To Love. In 2011, Tess won Budweiser’s National Superfest Summer Block Party competition to win $25,000 and opened for Jill Scott and Anthony Hamilton. Also during 2011, Henley was a top three finalist in R&B category for the John Lennon Worldwide Songwriting Competition, the winner of the 2011 International Song Competition for SoulTracks, and the winner of an Independent Music Award in 2012.

After releasing a Deluxe Edition of Easy To Love through Tower Records Japan in September 2011, Tess released a 7” vinyl in October 2011 of the duet, “What You Won’t Do For Love,” featuring Mycle Wastman from The Voice, for the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund. In September 2012, Tess’ track, “Boy In The Window,” appeared in the Hollywood movie, Hello I Must Be Going. This song also garnered her an Independent Music Award.

In May 2013, Henley released her sophomore studio album, High Heels & Sneakers, produced by Dice Raw from The Roots and Khari Mateen. Also in 2013, Tess received the Vox Pop R&B/Soul Independent Music Award for "Daydreaming." Henley was then named grand prize winner of the Show Me The Music Songwriting Contest with her song, "Who Are You."

Producer Don Was selected Tess as the Guitar Center Singer-Songwriter III Grand Prize Winner in March, 2014. She became the first female winner in the competition's history, receiving $25,000, music gear, and an EP to be recorded with Don Was. In mid-August 2014 Tess was in Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles with producer Don Was and session musicians James Gadson, Mark Goldenberg, Michito Sanchez and James "Hutch" Hutchinson recording the above mentioned EP.