Judy Henske is a singer-songwriter who lives in Pasadena, Calif, with her husband of over 30 years keyboardist, Craig Doerge. The latter was recently featured in Rolling Stone.

Sometime last century Henske was born in a little farming community in Western Wisconsin. She went on to become “The Queen of the Beatniks” but was not so widely known as contemporaries such as Baez and Collins. She says it’s because she is too different. With her larger than life persona and wicked sense of humour,Henske is certainly different.

I first wrote Judy a an letter in the summer of 2004. Basically I wrote it because I could thinking she was another folksinger. To my undeveloped mind, she was bawdy, a bit off the wall. And then she told me she was going blind.

We lost touch for many years and began talking again towards the end of last year. We find we have much in common — we are both sagitarius — and share many laughs together.

Judy tells me about California — it’s hot and sunny and she hates it. And she gives sage advice, “You must stay in your house and protect your beauty.”

“I love it when I give unsafe advice on the stage,” she told me the other day, “People get so shocked.” Deep down, despite all the humour, and the outlandish performances, Judy says she is square as square can be and lives in the most square place on earth. “Well it is!”

“To me your life is interesting because it is not my life.” Well Judy, thanks for being a part of my life. I wrote this blog about you and me so more people would come to know you and find out about your brand of strangeness.