From an original Wurzelmania page by 'Zider Ed' - Paul Gunningham and Frank Blades
'Actually', as Adge would say, 'I'll tell 'ee a tale about ol' 'Enry'... West Country-born Henry Davies (you may sometimes see his name spelt Davis) first played with Adge Cutler & The Wurzels in 1967. The butt of many a joke, Adge described him as "ten stone of skin and cider"! He was apparently the owner of the biggest Wurzelphone in the country, and had a tendency to splash when he got excited. He would be introduced to the audience as 'The Man with the Golden Crumpet', and according to Adge, he was also Duke of Edinburgh award winner for silage making, and an former member of the Bolshoi Ballet.Henry was a well-known and respected musician on the Bristol jazz scene before joining Adge Cutler & The Wurzels. Henry was an accomplished musician who could play the "Wurzelphone" as well as piano, clarinet, string bass and violin. Henry was also a musical arranger and was responsible for the arrangements on Adge's third album 'Cutler Of The West'.
Henry was a well-known and respected musician on the Bristol jazz scene before joining Adge Cutler & The Wurzels and was an accomplished musician who could play the "Wurzelphone" as well as piano, clarinet, string bass and violin. Henry was also a musical arranger and was responsible for the arrangements on Adge's third album 'Cutler Of The West'. He also co-wrote songs with Adge Cutler - including 'Look At 'Ee, Lookin' At I', 'The Market Gardener' and 'I'm The Captain Of A Dredger'. all three of which appeared on the post-Adge 1975 album 'The Wurzels Are Scrumptious!'
Although Henry was only briefly with Adge Cutler & The Wurzels, he is one of the few who have joined and left the band twice. In October 1967 after a brief spell with Adge, Henry left to join the New Vaudeville Band. This group was the brainchild of songwriter Geoff Stephens who had gathered together some studio musicians for a recording session in 1966. From that session came the single 'Winchester Cathedral' which became an international hit. As a result Stephens formed a touring version of the band which was managed by a young Peter Grant (later manager of The Yardbirds and Led Zeppelin!). He suggested that a young jazz tuba player Melt Kingston be his replacement in The Wurzels.
However, things didn't work out for Henry at the New Vaudeville Band, and in March 1968, Henry and Melt did a job-swap with Melt joining the New Vaudeville Band and Henry returning to join Adge Cutler & The Wurzels. Although he enjoyed being a Wurzel, Henry found the music was not demanding enough, so he returned to the jazz scene. He left the band for a second time at the end of 1968 being replaced by the arrival of Tony Baylis.
Like many ex-Wurzels, Henry returned to his first love - jazz - something he continues to be involved with in 2021...