Phil Wiggins Honored at the 2017 NEA National Heritage Fellowships Concert

Phil Wiggins is a versatile harmonica player, continuing the Piedmont blues tradition, a gentle and melodic blues style of the mid-Atlantic region. He plays the diatonic ten-hole harmonica in the country blues style, cupping both hands around the instrument and playing acoustically. His sound is not shaped by the microphone or amplifier when performing, but instead by his complex syncopated patterns, breath control and rhythm, stylistic virtuosity, and fiery solo runs. He was honored at the 2017 NEA National Heritage Fellowships Concert on September 15, 2017, at Lisner Auditorium in Washington, DC. Please enjoy this segment from the event webcast.