TREY HENSLEY
PHOTO CREDIT: CORA WAGONER
You know that everybody is on the same wavelength and everybody is just on top of everything. Taj made some comment that he has been doing this since he was in single digits and he’ s in his 80s now and just still putting out incredible music, and that’ s inspiring. I’ m still unpacking things I’ ve learned from just hanging out with Taj.
Your genre-crossing extends to your choice of instruments, too— you’ re not strictly an acoustic player. What happens in your musical psyche when you put down the dreadnought and pick up a Telecaster?
It’ s almost a different part of your brain. I remember the first few months that I had my Telecaster when I was a teenager. I would do a gig with it or whatever, and I just would be like, man, I suck! As we both know, it’ s such a different touch. It’ s almost a different instrument. For a long time, I’ d put heavier strings on my electrics and approach it more from that angle. It’ s like, no, you don’ t need to do that. Just play 10s on the electric and 13s on the acoustic, and they are two worlds— they shall not meet. I’ ve brought a lot more into my acoustic playing from my electric playing than vice versa. I’ m still afraid of volume. I’ m so used to play-
COLLECTIBLE GUITAR | 51