Hensley, Ernest W., 1940-

Ernie Hensley III was born March 14, 1940 to parents Ernest W. Hensley Jr. and Gladys Barbara Hensley. He was raised in Washington, D.C. At the age of seven, he found a saxophone in his grandmother’s attic and embarked on his musical journey. He took lessons at the Modern School of Music in D.C., acquiring proficiency with the clarinet and the flute through long hours of practice. Hensley attended a historically black school, Armstrong High School, until he was transferred to McKinley High School in 1954, following the Brown v. Board of Education ruling.

After graduating high school in 1954, Hensley joined the United States Air Force (USAF) as a member of the 511th Air Force Band (AFB). In 1959, he resettled in France to play saxophone for the AFB. A dream came true when Hensley become a member of the “Airmen of Note,” the premier jazz ensemble for the USAF. He retired from the Air Force in 1979. While he was in the military, Hensley married his wife, Carolyn, on July 15, 1965 in D.C.

Hensley moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1979 and after living in the area for just a few weeks, he started working with Johnny Haig three nights a week. Shortly after, he found a long-term home working with Jimmy Mulidore’s group at the Hilton Hotel for nearly a decade until 1995. Throughout his jazz career, Hensley worked with notable musicians such as Andy Williams, Sammy Davis Jr., Juliet Prowse, Steve and Eydie, and Sarah Vaughn.