Terri Hendrix

Terri Hendrix is a pioneering independent Texas songwriter who spins sorrow into joy and wrings wisdom from the blues with a poetic grace and engaging melodic flair that has endeared her to three generations of fans around the globe. Recognized by “Acoustic Guitar” Magazine as one of Texas’ 20 essential contemporary singer-songwriters, Hendrix has released 18 albums since her 1996 debut, “Two Dollar Shoes," all on her own Wilory Records label. As the owner of the masters to every album she's ever made, "Terri is truly a self-made woman" (as music legend Al Kooper observed). That autonomy has allowed her the freedom to dodge musical pigeonholes her entire career by weaving folk, pop, country, blues and jazz into an eclectic style all her own, which makes for an energetic and spiritually uplifting live show in any setting, from listening rooms and house concerts to theaters to outdoor festivals. Along the way, she’s also co-written a Grammy-winning instrumental (the Dixie Chicks’ “Lil’ Jack Slade”), and garnered such honors as a star on the South Texas Music Walk of Fame, the Art of Peace Award by Saint Mary’s University in San Antonio, the Distinguished Alumni Award at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, and a 2015 induction into the Women’s Hall of Fame in San Marcos, Texas. But her proudest achievement to date is the OYOU ("Own Your Own Universe"), the 501 C3 non-profit she founded in 2013. Based in Martindale and San Marcos, Texas, the OYOU's mission is to make the arts accessible to everyone, regardless of age, income, social, or mobility issues, through a variety of workshops, concerts, and retreats.

As busy as the OYOU keeps her, though, Terri is as productive on the writing and recording end of her career as ever — as evidenced by the recent completion of her most ambitious release yet: "Project 5," a suite of four albums and a memoir exploring the shared themes of love, faith, and resilience. The first two albums, "Love You Strong" and "The Slaughterhouse Sessions," were both released in 2016, followed by "Talk to a Human" and "Who Is Ann?" (a self-produced EP exploring her love of electronica) in 2019. Texas legend Terry Allen called Terri's collection "a war cry, her gift with a vengeance to all of us," while fellow songwriter Eliza Gilkyson noted the "undeniable authenticity" and "tangible, joyful, healing power" of the music. Terri brings all of those qualities to the page and wraps up Project 5 with her book, "The Girl with the Exploding Brain," a deeply personal account of her lifelong battle with epilepsy and the path she’s braved not just to wellness, but to making her "Own Your Own Universe" dream a reality.