Cephas & Wiggins
Encyclopedia
Cephas & Wiggins was an American
acoustic
blues duo
, composed of guitarist John Cephas (September 4, 1930 – March 4, 2009) and harmonica
player Phil Wiggins (born May 8, 1954). They were known for playing Piedmont blues
.
at the Smithsonian's Festival of American Folklife in 1975 or 1976, and played together in Wilbert "Big Chief" Ellis's band. When Ellis died, they decided to continue as a duo.
In 1980, Cephas & Wiggins were recorded by German archivists Siegfried Christmann and Axel Kustner. These recordings were their first as a duo and they were released the following year on as a part of Living Country Blues USA series on German label L+R. They also appeared around Washington, D.C. with 'the Travelling Blues Workshop', which included John Jackson
, Archie Edwards
, Flora Molton, and Mother Scott.
In 1986, Cephas & Wiggins released Dog Days of August, their first U.S.
release on Flying Fish Records
. In 1989, Cephas was awarded the National Heritage Fellowship
.
Two more albums followed from Flying Fish. After they left the label, they released one album from New York-based Chesky Records
, and four from Alligator Records
.
Cephas died of natural causes on March 4, 2009. He was 78. The duo had released Richmond Blues on Folkways Records
in 2008.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
acoustic
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
blues duo
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
, composed of guitarist John Cephas (September 4, 1930 – March 4, 2009) and harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
player Phil Wiggins (born May 8, 1954). They were known for playing Piedmont blues
Piedmont blues
Piedmont blues refers primarily to a guitar style, the Piedmont fingerstyle, which is characterized by a fingerpicking approach in which a regular, alternating thumb bass string rhythmic pattern supports a syncopated melody using the treble strings generally picked with the fore-finger,...
.
History
Both musicians were born in Washington D.C., although Cephas was older by some 25 years. They first met at a jam sessionJam session
Jam sessions are often used by musicians to develop new material, find suitable arrangements, or simply as a social gathering and communal practice session. Jam sessions may be based upon existing songs or forms, may be loosely based on an agreed chord progression or chart suggested by one...
at the Smithsonian's Festival of American Folklife in 1975 or 1976, and played together in Wilbert "Big Chief" Ellis's band. When Ellis died, they decided to continue as a duo.
In 1980, Cephas & Wiggins were recorded by German archivists Siegfried Christmann and Axel Kustner. These recordings were their first as a duo and they were released the following year on as a part of Living Country Blues USA series on German label L+R. They also appeared around Washington, D.C. with 'the Travelling Blues Workshop', which included John Jackson
John Jackson (blues musician)
John Jackson was an American Piedmont blues musician; his music did not become primary until his accidental "discovery" by folklorist Chuck Perdue in the 1960s...
, Archie Edwards
Archie Edwards
Archie Edwards was an American Piedmont blues guitarist, who in a sporadic career spanning several decades, worked variously with Mississippi John Hurt, Skip James, and John Jackson. His best known tracks included "Saturday Night Hop", "The Road is Rough and Rocky", and "I Called My Baby Long...
, Flora Molton, and Mother Scott.
In 1986, Cephas & Wiggins released Dog Days of August, their first U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
release on Flying Fish Records
Flying Fish Records
Flying Fish Records was a Chicago-based eclectic blues and country record label. It was founded in 1974 by Bruce Kaplan, former president of the University of Chicago's Folklore Society....
. In 1989, Cephas was awarded the National Heritage Fellowship
National Heritage Fellowship
The National Heritage Fellowship is a lifetime honor presented to master folk and traditional artists by the National Endowment for the Arts. Similar to Japan's Living National Treasure award, the Fellowship is the United States' highest honor in the folk and traditional arts...
.
Two more albums followed from Flying Fish. After they left the label, they released one album from New York-based Chesky Records
Chesky Records
Chesky Records is a record label aimed primarily at audiophiles. For the most part, jazz, Latin jazz, classical, and adult contemporary CDs and DVDs are produced, but they also manufacture high end audio equipment. The label was founded and is run by grammy nominated composer David Chesky and his...
, and four from Alligator Records
Alligator Records
Alligator Records is a Chicago-based independent blues record label founded by Bruce Iglauer in 1971.Iglauer started the label with his own savings to record and produce his favorite band Hound Dog Taylor & The HouseRockers, whom his employer, Bob Koester of Delmark Records, declined to record...
.
Cephas died of natural causes on March 4, 2009. He was 78. The duo had released Richmond Blues on Folkways Records
Folkways Records
Folkways Records was a record label founded by Moses Asch that documented folk, world, and children's music. It was acquired by the Smithsonian Institution in 1987, and is now part of Smithsonian Folkways.-History:...
in 2008.
Albums
- 1981 Living Country Blues USA Vol. 1 (L+R)
- 1984 Sweet Bitter Blues (L+R, reissued by Evidence Records in 1994)
- 1985 Let It Roll: Bowling Green (Marimac)
- 1986 Dog Days of August (Flying Fish)
- 1987 Guitar Man (Flying Fish)
- 1988 Walking Blues (Marimac)
- 1992 Flip, Flop & Fly (Flying Fish)
- 1993 Bluesmen (Chesky)
- 1996 Cool Down (Alligator)
- 1999 Homemade (Alligator)
- 2002 Somebody Told the Truth (Alligator) - U.S. Blues #6
- 2006 Shoulder to Shoulder (Alligator)
- 2008 Richmond Blues (Smithsonian Folkways)
Compilation albums
- 1998 Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad (Evidence) - compilation of L+R material
- 2000 From Richmond to Atlanta (RounderRounder RecordsRounder Records, originally of Cambridge, Massachusetts, but now based in Burlington, Massachusetts, is a record label founded in 1970 by Ken Irwin, Bill Nowlin and Marian Leighton-Levy, while all three were still university students...
) - compilation of Flying Fish material