After a successful ten year run working alongside dobro master, Rob Ickes, guitarist Trey Hensley has entered a new chapter of his career as a solo artist. Hensley’s latest release, Can’t Outrun the Blues on Pinecastle Records brings us into this chapter with a collection that shows Trey is equally at home in different acoustic contexts.
The vast majority of the material was penned by Hensley such as the title track, Can’t Outrun The Blues. While it does showcase his incredible ability as a flatpicking guitarist, this song is a brilliant example of Hensley’s lyrical strength. John Cowan appears on this track adding excellent harmony alongside Trey. They are backed by a core cast of musicians that consist of Stuart Duncan on fiddle, Marc Rogers on bass, and John Alvey on drums.
The High Cost of Goodbye is without question the most bluegrass-oriented song on the album. With twin fiddles from Duncan and Andy Leftwich, banjo from Ilya Toshinsky, and harmony vocals from Jaelee Roberts, this song written with Bobby Starnes shows Hensley’s ability to craft something fresh within a traditional framework. His interpretation of the Merle Haggard song, Silverthorn Mountain, also has a strong bluegrass feel, which is especially punctuated by his lead guitar work.
There are also some great collaborations on this recording. Going and Gone, another Hensley/Starnes cowrite, features Trey with Molly Tuttle. With its sparse instrumentation and gentle feel, this track allows us to really focus on the story of a woman searching for where to go next on the road of life. One White Line at a Time was written by Hensley along with Steve Wariner and Rob Ickes. With a similar sentiment to the aforementioned song. Trey and Steve effectively convey the feelings of longing for the destination one is traveling to.
Can’t Outrun The Blues is an excellent way of bringing us into the next stage of Trey Hensley’s career. While many are familiar with Trey’s prowess as an instrumentalist and vocalist, this release brings even greater definition to his artistry through his strong songwriting.
