Cephas & Wiggins was an American acousticbluesduo, composed of the guitarist John Cephas (September 4, 1930[1] – March 4, 2009)[2] and the harmonica player Phil Wiggins (born May 8, 1954).[3] They were known for playing Piedmont blues.
In 1980, Cephas & Wiggins were recorded by the German archivists Siegfried Christmann and Axel Küstner.[7] These recordings, their first as a duo, were released the following year as a part of the Living Country Blues USA series on the German label L+R.[8] They also appeared around Washington, D.C., with the Travelling Blues Workshop, which included John Jackson, Archie Edwards, Flora Molton, and Mother Scott.[9]
Their first U.S. release, the album Dog Days of August, was issued by Flying Fish Records in 1986. Two more albums followed from Flying Fish. After they left the label, they released one album for the New York–based Chesky Records and four albums for Alligator Records. They released the album Richmond Blues on Folkways Records in 2008.
Until the late 1980s, Cephas made his primary living as a carpenter at the D.C. National Armory,[10] playing music on the side. In the 1990s, he became a professional musician, sometimes earning money by teaching classes and workshops.[11]
As a duo, they toured extensively, primarily courtesy of the sponsorship of the United States Department of State.[4] They performed together across the USA, as well as in Africa, Asia, South and Central America, and the Soviet Union.[12]
Cephas was a recipient of a 1989 National Heritage Fellowship awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts, which is the United States government's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts.[13] In 2017, Wiggins received a National Heritage Fellowship as well.[14] Wiggins received the State of Maryland Heritage Award in 2021.[15]
Cephas died of natural causes (pulmonary fibrosis) on March 4, 2009. He was 78.[16] He is buried at Quantico National Cemetery in Virginia.[17]
1990 Blues Music Awards, Traditional Blues Album (Guitar Man) winners[18]
Between 1995 and 2007, eleven Blues Music Award/W.C. Handy Blues Award nominations for Cephas & Wiggins in the Acoustic Album, Acoustic Artist, and Traditional Blues Album categories[18]
^Wirz, Stefan. "Illustrated L + R (Lippmann + Rau) Records (blues) discography". Wirz.de. Retrieved September 7, 2015.
^Seida, Linda. "Archie Edwards biography". Allmusic.com. Retrieved September 15, 2011.
^Wiggins, Phil (2020). Sweet bitter blues : Washington, DC's homemade blues. Frank Matheis, Elijah Wald. Jackson. ISBN978-1-4968-2696-1. OCLC 1125132186.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^ ab"John Cephas: Piedmont Blues Guitarist/Singer". www.arts.gov. National Endowment for the Arts. n.d. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
^Govenar, Alan, ed. (2001). "John Cephas: African American Piedmont Blues Guitarist and Singer". Masters of Traditional Arts: A Biographical Dictionary. Vol. 1 (A-J). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-Clio. pp. 115–117. ISBN1576072401. OCLC 47644303.
^ ab. www.arts.gov. National Endowment for the Arts. Archived from the original on August 4, 2020. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
^ ab. www.arts.gov. National Endowment for the Arts. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
^"State of Maryland Announces 2021 Heritage Award Winners | Maryland State Arts Council". msac.org. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
^Sisario, Ben (March 7, 2009). "John Cephas, Guitarist with the Duo Cephas and Wiggins, Dies at 78". New York Times. Retrieved March 7, 2009.
^Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues: A Regional Experience. Greenwood Guides to American Roots Music. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger. p. 96. ISBN978-0-313-34423-7. OCLC 820450820.
^ abc"Award Winners and Nominees [search]". blues.org. The Blues Foundation. 2017. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
cephas, wiggins, american, acoustic, blues, composed, guitarist, john, cephas, september, 1930, march, 2009, harmonica, player, phil, wiggins, born, 1954, they, were, known, playing, piedmont, blues, performing, merlefest, 1994, contents, history, awards, hono. Cephas amp Wiggins was an American acoustic blues duo composed of the guitarist John Cephas September 4 1930 1 March 4 2009 2 and the harmonica player Phil Wiggins born May 8 1954 3 They were known for playing Piedmont blues Cephas amp Wiggins performing at Merlefest in 1994 Contents 1 History 2 Awards and honors 3 Discography 3 1 Albums 3 2 Compilation albums 4 References 5 External linksHistory editBoth musicians were born in Washington D C 4 Cephas who was 24 years older than Wiggins grew up in Bowling Green Virginia 4 They first met at a jam session at the Smithsonian s Festival of American Folklife in 1976 4 and played together in Wilbert Big Chief Ellis s band 5 When Ellis died they decided to continue as a duo 6 In 1980 Cephas amp Wiggins were recorded by the German archivists Siegfried Christmann and Axel Kustner 7 These recordings their first as a duo were released the following year as a part of the Living Country Blues USA series on the German label L R 8 They also appeared around Washington D C with the Travelling Blues Workshop which included John Jackson Archie Edwards Flora Molton and Mother Scott 9 Their first U S release the album Dog Days of August was issued by Flying Fish Records in 1986 Two more albums followed from Flying Fish After they left the label they released one album for the New York based Chesky Records and four albums for Alligator Records They released the album Richmond Blues on Folkways Records in 2008 Until the late 1980s Cephas made his primary living as a carpenter at the D C National Armory 10 playing music on the side In the 1990s he became a professional musician sometimes earning money by teaching classes and workshops 11 As a duo they toured extensively primarily courtesy of the sponsorship of the United States Department of State 4 They performed together across the USA as well as in Africa Asia South and Central America and the Soviet Union 12 Cephas was a recipient of a 1989 National Heritage Fellowship awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts which is the United States government s highest honor in the folk and traditional arts 13 In 2017 Wiggins received a National Heritage Fellowship as well 14 Wiggins received the State of Maryland Heritage Award in 2021 15 Cephas died of natural causes pulmonary fibrosis on March 4 2009 He was 78 16 He is buried at Quantico National Cemetery in Virginia 17 Awards and honors edit1987 Blues Music Awards Entertainer of the Year Award winners 18 1988 Washington DC Mayor s Arts Award for Cephas 11 1989 National Heritage Fellowship for Cephas 13 1990 Blues Music Awards Traditional Blues Album Guitar Man winners 18 Between 1995 and 2007 eleven Blues Music Award W C Handy Blues Award nominations for Cephas amp Wiggins in the Acoustic Album Acoustic Artist and Traditional Blues Album categories 18 2017 National Heritage Fellowship for Wiggins 14 Discography editAlbums edit Living Country Blues USA vol 1 L R 1981 Sweet Bitter Blues L R 1984 reissued by Evidence 1994 Let It Roll Bowling Green Marimac 1985 Dog Days of August Flying Fish 1986 Guitar Man Flying Fish 1987 Walking Blues Marimac 1988 Flip Flop amp Fly Flying Fish 1992 Bluesmen Chesky 1993 Cool Down Alligator 1996 Homemade Alligator 1999 Somebody Told the Truth Alligator 2002 Shoulder to Shoulder Alligator 2006 Richmond Blues Smithsonian Folkways 2008 Compilation albums edit Goin down the Road Feelin Bad 1998 Evidence compilation of L R material From Richmond to Atlanta 2000 Rounder compilation of Flying Fish materialReferences edit Richard Skelly John Cephas Biography AllMusic Retrieved September 7 2015 Jay Smith March 5 2009 John Cephas Dies Pollstar Archived from the original on March 7 2009 Retrieved September 7 2015 Phil Wiggins Biography AllMusic May 8 1954 Retrieved September 7 2015 a b c d Russell Tony 1997 The Blues From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray Dubai Carlton Books p 100 ISBN 1 85868 255 X Pearson Barry Lee Cephas amp Wiggins Biography AllMusic Retrieved September 7 2015 Liner notes to Sweet Bitter Blues Liner notes to Goin Down the Road Feelin Bad Wirz Stefan Illustrated L R Lippmann Rau Records blues discography Wirz de Retrieved September 7 2015 Seida Linda Archie Edwards biography Allmusic com Retrieved September 15 2011 Wiggins Phil 2020 Sweet bitter blues Washington DC s homemade blues Frank Matheis Elijah Wald Jackson ISBN 978 1 4968 2696 1 OCLC 1125132186 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link a b John Cephas Piedmont Blues Guitarist Singer www arts gov National Endowment for the Arts n d Retrieved December 6 2020 Govenar Alan ed 2001 John Cephas African American Piedmont Blues Guitarist and Singer Masters of Traditional Arts A Biographical Dictionary Vol 1 A J Santa Barbara CA ABC Clio pp 115 117 ISBN 1576072401 OCLC 47644303 a b NEA National Heritage Fellowships 1989 www arts gov National Endowment for the Arts Archived from the original on August 4 2020 Retrieved December 6 2020 a b NEA National Heritage Fellowships 2017 www arts gov National Endowment for the Arts Archived from the original on October 1 2020 Retrieved December 6 2020 State of Maryland Announces 2021 Heritage Award Winners Maryland State Arts Council msac org Retrieved April 25 2021 Sisario Ben March 7 2009 John Cephas Guitarist with the Duo Cephas and Wiggins Dies at 78 New York Times Retrieved March 7 2009 Eagle Bob LeBlanc Eric S 2013 Blues A Regional Experience Greenwood Guides to American Roots Music Santa Barbara CA Praeger p 96 ISBN 978 0 313 34423 7 OCLC 820450820 a b c Award Winners and Nominees search blues org The Blues Foundation 2017 Retrieved January 5 2018 External links editCephas amp Wiggins at AllMusic nbsp Cephas amp Wiggins discography at Discogs Discography at Smithsonian Folkways Recordings Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cephas 26 Wiggins amp oldid 1161061468, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
