b. 20 December 1942, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, USA. This throaty voiced singer/raconteuse, affectionately known as "the Queen of the Beatniks", was a cult hero on the west coast folk scene in the 60s. Henske was raised in the evocatively named Chippewa Falls in Wisconsin, leaving to major in voice at Rosary College in River Forest, Illinois. She subsequently moved to Los Angeles where she sang solo until 1961, when she joined the Whiskeyhill Singers. The latter featured former Kingston Trio member Dave Guard, David "Buck' Wheat, and Cyrus Faryar. The group recorded only one album, 1962's Dave Guard & The Whiskeyhill Singers, for Capitol Records, before splitting up. The following year, Henske was signed to Elektra Records, which released Judy Henske and High Flying Bird in 1963. The debut was a live album which demonstrated that Henske was equally at home as a jazz singer and as a comedy performer. She subsequently recorded for Mercury Records and Reprise Records but, despite her dramatic stage presence, commercial success eluded her. Henske later married former Lovin" Spoonful member Jerry Yester, with whom she also performed and recorded as a duo, Henske And Yester, releasing the excellent Farewell Aldebaran on Frank Zappa's Straight label in 1969. She also played in Rosebud, a rock band featuring Yester, Henske, drummer John Seiter, bass player David Vaught and pianist Craig Doerge who released a self-titled album in 1971.

Listen to Judy Henske at Finetune.

• (2006)  Judy Henske
• (2006)  The Death Defying Judy Henske: The First Concert Album
• (2006)  High Flying Bird

• High Flying Bird
• Buckeye Jim
• Every Night When The Sun Goes Down
• Danny Boy (Live Version)
• I Know You Rider

• Jem
• Norah Jones
• Ingrid Michaelson
• Frou Frou
• A Fine Frenzy
• Psapp
• Lily Allen
• Black Box Recorder
• Feist
• Kate Rusby
• The Cardigans
• Judy Collins
• Richie Havens
• Sandy Denny
• Dave Van Ronk
• Leonard Cohen
• Steeleye Span
• Tom Rush
• Bob Dylan
• Linda Ronstadt