Trent Henley

Trent Henley has been in public radio for 3 decades. He first came to WNCW in the Fall of 1995. He's worked as a DJ, and an NPR host, throughout those years. He has kept his foot in the door at WNCW, since being hired by then-programming director Dan Reed. He says, "They just can't get rid of me."

He began working as a host on Dubatomic Particles, WNCW's showcase of reggae music back in 1996. At the same time he took on being one of the station's local NPR hosts.  

He was also had a stint as an NPR host for WCQS in Asheville from 2006 to 2014.  

In 2015, he began hosting Dead Air. He enjoys giving a weekly 4 hour dose of "music for long attention spans." He mixes bands that inspired, and those that have been inspired, by heavyweights such as The Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers, Phish, Widespread Panic and Bob Dylan. 

Trent has now hosted more 500 episodes of Dead Air. He is first and foremost a Deadhead. He spent many years amassing a giant collection of live recordings through tape trading, mostly locally and through the mail, a passion that started in his teens.  

Today, he is still on the hunt for new music, old music and more music. He enjoys collecting LP's and live recordings. He tracks down everything from rock, psychedelic music and jazz to country, funk, punk, reggae, slow-burn stoner metal and surf music — and don't forget Nigerian funk, sacred steel and tango-chill electronica

Trent grew up in north Florida, and has been in the Carolinas now for more than 35 years. He has raised a family here, and he calls Western NC home.  

Those that know him would agree he's not quiet, and he always has something to say. He would follow with, "Hopefully it's entertaining."

trent@wncw.org