Biography It’s been a long road for Elijah Henry, from writing music while in high school in his native San Francisco, to the home of Quincy Jones to give a private solo performance. There, upon a piano graced by the hands of such legends as Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder, Elijah performed for the celebrated music mogul. And what did Elijah play? His own compositions, of course, which have been variously hailed as modern R&B stylings with a subtle use of vocal harmony. Elijah’s groove-based songs, with mixed major and minor tonalities, employ a combination of acoustic and electric instrumentation in support of romantic lyrics that are perfectly at home “between the sheets.” Elijah has been compared to Marvin Gaye, Prince, and Michael Jackson and, upon hearing him, these influences are evident. However, for his recent debut album, aptly titled “Special,” he drew further on his wide array of musical heroes, including everyone from the Beatles to the Dramatics, and John Lee Hooker to Eric Clapton. His love of the “song,” along with his knowledge of great songwriters like Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, and Diane Warren, compelled Elijah to write and produce tunes as timeless as the ones he’s inspired by. Elijah’s musical journey began in high school, but it wasn’t until college, while studying theater arts at the University of California at Santa Cruz, that he began to flourish not only as songwriter, but also as a versatile artist and entertainer. Being a skilled composer and musician proficient in piano, guitar, and bass, and an equally talented designer, Elijah immersed himself in college stage production. From musical composition to production/costume design and stage performance, he eagerly absorbed all aspects of entertainment, both onstage and behind the scenes. During his third year in college, Elijah was invited to relocate to Los Angeles after a demo recording he made was heard by David Benveniste, manager of System of a Down, one of the biggest rock acts in the world. Elijah’s decision to leave college was a difficult one, but shortly after arriving in L.A., his dreams of a career in music started to fall into place. He gigged all around Los Angeles, and his talent as a live performer gained him instant recognition. Record companies took notice, and A&R people flocked to Elijah’s shows. In 2000, Elijah’s self-produced songwriting demo, consisting of 16 tunes, was heard by Leslie Cooney, manager of dancehall great Mr. Vegas. Mike Ross, president of Delicious Vinyl Records, also heard the demo. Impressed not only by the young songwriter’s musical prowess and effortless ability to blend pop/rock and R&B, but also by his soulful voice and creative presence, Delicious Vinyl offered Elijah a recording contract. Weighting the merits of competing offers, Elijah eventually signed with Delicious Vinyl. He was a perfect fit for the groundbreaking independent record company that has produced such artists as Tone Loc, Young MC, the Brand New Heavies, and Hip-Hop icons The Pharcyde. Delicious Vinyl has since released Elijah’s songs on “Prime Cuts Volume 2.” Elijah’s vocals can also be heard on Fatlip’s “Worst Case Scenario.” In 2001, Elijah returned to U.C. Santa Cruz and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater Arts and Music. Following graduation, he proceeded to collaborate with many talented musical artists and producers, including leading Latin jazz guitarist Javier Torres Moseley, and producers J-Swift, Bob Durham, and Damon Elliot, who has produced hits for Destiny’s Child and Pink. With the assistance of Bob Durham, several of Elijah’s compositions have been placed in movies and on television, including MTV’s debut of “Making the Band.” With a considerable list of accomplishments and a multitude of musical experience under his belt, Elijah Henry returned home to San Francisco. He teamed up with local producer Al Wilson, and in 2004 they formed the independent record company Gentlemenz Club Ent. Inspired by this development, Elijah began writing songs for his debut album. Now, with the completion of “Special,” this gifted multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter is ready to take center stage and deliver his own special blend of soul, R&B, and pop to music lovers everywhere.