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By Lynn J. Richardson

East Tennessee now has one more thing to be proud of: it is home to 2025 Grammy winner, Trey Hensley.

The 34-year-old singer, guitarist and songwriter, took home his first Grammy on Sunday, Feb. 2, winning the coveted award for his work on a blues album, The Taj Mahal Swingin’ Sextet – Live At The Church In Tulsa.

Hensley, who grew up in Jonesborough, moved to Nashville to pursue his musical career, but returned to his hometown a few years later. It is where his story began, starting in 2000.

A 10-year-old budding musician, Hensley had only been playing the guitar he had gotten for Christmas for a few months when he had the opportunity to play a tune for Marty Stuart at his touring bus at the Appalachian Fair.

He sang “Jimmy Brown the Newsboy,” a song he had learned from listening to one of his favorite musicians, Earl Scruggs. Stuart was obviously impressed.

Less than a year later, he was on country music’s biggest stage – the Grand Ole Opry. He was 11 and once again playing “Jimmy Brown the Newsboy” with Stuart and the man who made the song famous – Earl Scruggs.

Since then, Hensley’s career as a bluegrass and country music guitarist and singer has flourished. Some of his career’s highlights have been playing for June Carter Cash’s last birthday party, being nominated for a Grammy in 2015, along with Rob Ickes, for their album “Before The Sun Goes Down,” and in 2023, Hensley was the recipient of the International Bluegrass Music Association’s “Guitar Player of the Year” Award.

Now, there is this – the Grammys.

Hensley recalls sitting with his wife, Amber, and daughter, Emmalyn, in the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles filled with Grammy nominees.

“We were just sitting there and when they announced our win, my wife tells me I just about jumped out of my seat,” he said. “I don’t really remember,” he added with a laugh. “I don’t think I could have moved for the next 20 minutes and have little to no recollection of that first 10 minutes or so after our name was called.

“Just being a part of that album was just such an honor,” he added. “I didn’t even think it would be a possibility to win because I had some dear friends who were also nominated – Little Feat – who I’ve worked with. I had all the faith in the world in Taj, but we were up against a lot of great artists.”

While it may seem odd to see a musician with a bluegrass/country background win in the blues category, Hensley is no stranger to the genre. He taught a master class in blues music, a genre he says is “very dear” to him. And though he describes the album as a “great blues record,” he says it is also very rooted in country.

“That’s why Taj is a hero,” he added. “He can do whatever he wants to do.”

Trey says one of the best parts of the experience was being able to share it with his family.

“I took Emmalyn on the red carpet with me and a lot of the photographers complimented her on her dress,” he said. “I think she felt like a movie star. She was so excited about the whole thing. It all was just surreal and it is going to take a long time for the weekend to soak in.”

Hensley’s future will see some changes.  After performing for over 11 years in a duo with internationally-acclaimed dobro player, and fellow Grammy winner Rob Ickes, he says he will be transitioning more into solo work.

He is working on his first solo record since 2009, a bluegrass album, which he expects to be out in the fall. He is also working on a country album for next year.

Looking back on his 24 years as a musician, Hensley says the journey has been almost “unimaginable.”

“I was only ten when I met Marty Stuart at the Appalachian Fair,” Hensley reminisced. “That was less than a year after I first started playing. I got my first Martin guitar that year, and my whole family chipped in to buy it for me. It was quite an investment and they weren’t sure I’d stick with it.

“You know, I’ve always just loved music,” Hensley continued. “I’ve never let any of the successes or failures get to me too much. I’m just happy playing guitar and singing.

“I just always wanted to keep getting better,” he added. “There’s always work to be done.”

That “work” will continue in Jonesborough next month when the two Grammy-winning musicians, Hensley and Ickes, take the stage at 8 p.m. at Jonesborough’s Jackson Theater on March 22. Tickets are available at townofjonesborough.thundertix.com.