Kevin Henderson
Kevin Henderson is an internationally recognized fiddle player from Shetland, living in Kragerø. Kevin's musical expression is built on the rich fiddle music tradition from Shetland, and is inspired by his long participation in leading bands such as Boys of the Lough, Fiddlers Bid, Session A9 and Nordic Fiddlers Bloc. The result is expressive and adventurous, a completely unique individual musical style.
Kevin was educated in the Shetland tradition, where the main focus is fiddle music and encouragement to collaborate, taught by the legendary Willie Hunter. Lessons with Hunter could include chatting over coffee and biscuits and even expanding to be taught survival skills, in addition to learning both the essentials and the finer points of playing Shetland Wheels, and every Saturday Kevin came away motivated to imitate his mentor.
Kevin formed Fiddlers Bid with schoolmates Chris Stout, Andrew Gifford and Maurice Henderson. A band that during their thirty years has had countless gigs, and released four albums to enthusiastic receptions.
It was Kevin's clear understanding and dissemination of the Shetland tradition that led to his being invited to join the established Irish-Scottish band Boys of the Lough in 2001, together with the Irish icon Cathal McConnell. An experience that has enriched his musical expression and love of the melodies.
After moving to Norway, he has maintained the ties to Boys of the Lough, Fidlers Bid and Session A9, one of Scotland's finest and most popular fiddle ensembles today. Kevin Henderson has put his heart and soul into the Nordic Fiddlers Bloc. An ensemble with three very distinctive music styles where simplicity and directness are the key. Their mix of Norwegian, Swedish and Shetland accents and their ability to control varying tones and voices has led to ecstatic receptions on both sides of the North Sea, and also across the Atlantic.
When Kevin is not touring, or is on a playing assignment, he can convey his fiddle knowledge and passion at international fiddle camps organized by the Nordic Fiddlers Bloc, the Danish fiddler Harald Haugaard or the California-based Scottish fiddle master Alasdair Fraser. He also teaches eøever one to one, or over the internet in these corona times. Wherever he travels, Kevin remains a Shetlander, and is connected to the islands through the game and an instrument made by Shetland's leading fiddle maker Ewen Thomson.
Kevin has participated in the North Sea Festival with Fidlers Bid, and has also visited the festival as an audience. We look forward to a rehearsal with Kevin's beautiful fiddle playing at Farsund Folk Session, festival inn and FredagsFolk in Eilert Sundthallen.