Combos
Phil Wiggins and Corey Harris
Photo credit: Kevin M. James
"With Corey, it's about the groove. It's about the dance. It's about the journey home."
When it fell to me to try to honor some of the Cephas and Wiggins contracts after John's passing, the first person who came to mind was Corey Harris. A virtuoso of Delta and Piedmont style guitar and a singer with the power to blow the roof off, it has been a pleasure to share stages with Corey from Charlottesville, Va. to Bangkok, Thailand. Corey brings a very strong African aesthetic to the Blues. It's about the groove. It's about the dance. It's about the journey home.When I share the stage with Corey I am transported. You will be transported too.
Cory Harris BioPhil Wiggins and Rick Franklin
"You will hear blue ribbon Piedmont style guitar picking. You will want to dance !"
What passes for toughness is flipped. You take a man that walks hard,with that '' don't mess with me'' look on his face, a quick temper...Well a lot of people will say he's tough. But he's not tough. He's just scared. Now you take a man with an easy stride, quick to smile, walks with an open heart and an open mind, THAT'S a tough man. That's Rick Franklin. It's always a pleasure to spend time with Rick, learning songs, traveling...And I really enjoy sharing the stage with Rick. And when we play together the audience shares in that enjoyment. When you come to hear us play you will hear deep blues. You will hear blue ribbon piedmont style finger picking on the guitar. You will want to dance. You probably wont be allowed to. You will hear Phil Wiggins originals, songs from the Cephas and Wiggins set list and songs hand picked by Rick that show a mastery of finger style guitar. And I promise you will have a great time.
Phil Wiggins and Nat Reese
"Sounds of rowdy juke joints, food and moonshine. Saturday night honky-tonks, just off the tracks"
Nathaniel Hawthorn Reese, born March 4, 1924 in Salem, VA.'' Nat is a stunning acoustic blues singer ( and guitar player ) who at age 82 , plays ( and sings ) with relentless passion and soul''. Nat began to learn songs from itinerant black musicians who rode the rails throughout the mountain coal camps, company towns that were divided into black, white, and Italian sections Widows of workers killed in the mines were allowed to remain in company housing and to operate businesses to compensate for the loss of the spouses income. Food and moonshine were served and the traveling musicians entertained on Friday and Saturday nights. It was at these rowdy '' juke joints'' and '' honky-tonks ''that young Nat was exposed to blues and country music. The traveling musicians played both black and white venues and developed repertoires tailored for both audiences...
Phil Wiggins and Reverend John Wilkins
"Big gospel voice born from the blues, will take you from Saturday night to Sunday morning."
Guitarist Reverend John Wilkins (born 1943) is the second youngest of the seven children born to pre-war blues legend Robert Wilkins, known for his melding of acoustic country blues and gospel. His 1927 recording “Rolling Stone” inspired the name of the most successful rock and roll band of all time, which, in 1968, covered the senior Wilkins’ song “Prodigal Son.” Like his father, Rev. John Wilkins began his career playing secular blues for house parties in the hill country northern Mississippi, and played guitar on R&B and gospel recording sessions in Memphis. Later, as his father had, John Wilkins turned to the church. Since 1983, he has been pastor of Hunters Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Como, Mississippi. This church has been the spiritual home to Mississippi Fred McDowell, Othar Turner and other hill country blues legends. When not otherwise engaged with preaching at Hunters Chapel or performing on guitar, Wilkins dons his black leather jacket and takes up his duties as chaplin of the King Riders Motorcycle Club. In Como, he’s known as the “Biker Preacher.”
