Award winning singer-songwriter Larry Henley has died.  Henley was a member of The Newbeats and has a list of songwriting credits a mile long that includes songs for artists ranging from country to R&B such as Johnny Cash, Tina Turner, Dottie West, Donna Summer. Henley is perhaps most known for his song (co-written with Jeff Silbar) “The Wind Beneath My Wings” which has been recorded by Lee Greenwood, Willie Nelson, Bette Midler, Patti Labelle, Ray Price, and Kenny Rogers to name a very few.

A native Texan like Roy, as a teenager in Odessa Henley became a fan of Roy Orbison who was already quite the local sensation.  A few short years later Henley would find himself on tour with the now internationally famous Orbison and The Rolling Stones before his own songwriting career had even begun to develop.  Also a close friend of Roy’s frequent co-writer Bill Dees, Henley and Dees wrote “IF ONLY FOR A WHILE” which appears on Roy Orbison’s 1972 MGM album Roy Orbison Sings.

RIP Larry Henley.

Here is “IF ONLY FOR A WHILE performed by Roy Orbison –