JOHN CEPHAS & PHIL WIGGINS

JOHN CEPHAS , Washington 4-9-1930 ( 4-3-2009) Antiguo enconfrador de la capital federal tocaba desde hacía mucho tiempo como aficionado , cuando fué descubierto en 1979 por el productor alemán Axel Kustner, quieén lo grabó y dió a conocer entre el público europeo.A pesart de que Cephas , ya había grabado en varias ocasiones para la Biblioteca del Congreso y llegó a convertirse en una referencia en el panorama del country-blues de Washington D.C. junto a la cantante callejera Flora Molton y el guitarrista Archie Edwards . Practicando siempre el estilo del Blues de Piedmont . Posteriormente se unió al armonicista Phil Wiggins tomando en cierto sentido el relevo al célebre duo formado por Brownie y Sonny , aunque su repertorio es significativamente distinto. Cephas era un admirador de Skip James, Despues de un periodo de decadencia, fueron recuperados en el boom que más tarde buceó en los bluesmen más clásicos, aunque sus trabajos posteriores poco tienen que ver con los que habían hecho hasta la fecha. 

                                                     

John Cephas here, welcome to my site and Acoustic Guitar Blues lessons on dvd and my new (Video Download Lesson Click Here.) I’ve been playing the blues and singing for over 50 years. If you want the real deal when it comes to beginner guitar lessons or finger style guitar, you’ve come to the right place.  Here I’m on stage with my blues partner Phil Wiggins, we have traveled all over the world in over 50 country’s for 30 years preaching the blues. Phil is the best harmonica player you’ll find any place these days. If you want to see the latest lessons go to www.thegtw.com

John Cephas was born in Washington D.C. in 1930 into a deeply religious family and raised in Bowling Green Virginia. His first taste of music was gospel, but blues soon became his calling.  After learning to play the fingerstyle of alternating thumb picking which defines the Piedmont blues John began emulation the records he heard by Blind Boy Fuller, Blind Blake, Gary Davis and other early Piedmont artist.

Aside from playing the blues, he worked early on as a professional gospel singer, a carpenter, and Atlantic fisherman.  By the 1960?s he was starting to make a living from his music.

Among some of Johns many endeavors, John served On the Executive committee of the National Council for the Traditional Arts, and has testified before congressional committees. John Cephas is also the founder of the Washington, D.C. Blues Society.

Johns deepest wish in this world John says is, ” I would like to see a revival of the country blues by more young people, more people going to concerts, and learning.