Ken Hensley Past & Present (Songs In Time) - A Ken Hensley Anthology 1972 - 2021 (6-CD Box-Set)

(Cherry Red Records) 80 tracks, digisleeve in folding box

"Solo" (CD1) focuses on the gems of his first three solo albums, released on Bronze Records between 1973 and 1981. After making his way through the fertile music scene of the 1960s, Ken gained notoriety when he joined Uriah Heep in 1970. With Heep, he created groundbreaking, melodic hard rock. CD1 closes with "Tales," "Echoes In The Dark" and "Sunrise" from "The Magician's Birthday" (1972), then "Paradise," "Poet's Justice" and "Rainbow Demon" from "Demons And Wizards" (1972).

"A Glimpse of Glory" (CD2) from 1990 shows the depth of Ken's songwriting and his exploration of faith, best expressed in the songs "The Return" and "The Joy Of Knowing Jesus." Ken's liner notes for 2002's "Running Blind" (CD3) state, "This CD is probably typical of the way I record, with a mixture of songs of different styles. Mostly I consider myself a storyteller, and the tempo, rhythm and production should accompany the lyrical message."

"Running Blind" was followed by "The Last Dance" (CD4) in 2003. Produced by Ken and Daniel Saiz Gomez, "Crying" featured Tommy Lopez (drums), John Smithson (bass) and Ovidio Lopez (guitar) with Ken's classic slide guitar.

On the 2005 album "Cold Autumn Sunday" (CD5), Ken took the time to record a number of songs from his back catalog, including "Send Me An Angel," originally recorded in 1983 with Southern rockers Blackfoot, "Inside The Mystery," originally included on the album "Free Spirit," and the title track "Proud Words On A Dusty Shelf," which originally appeared on Ken's 1973 solo debut.

This anthology concludes with "Collaborations (2011-2021)" on CD6, a new compilation featuring his work on two studio albums and a live album with Live Fire; "Faster," "Trouble" and "Live Fire Live!!!" featuring the amazing guitar playing Ken Ingwersen loved so much. CD6 ends with two tracks from his last album, "My Book of Answers," featuring his collaboration with Vladimir Emelin.

With the death of Ken Hensley in November 2020, the music world has lost not only a great, multi-talented musician and changeable artist, but also a highly respected songwriter.