One of the most popular components of the Centrum summer blues gathering is the Piedmont picking track. In fact, we happen to like it so much, we’ve decided to build an entire intensive around the Piedmont style.

Artistic Director Corey Harris has asked three of the best to lead the charge:

• National Heritage Award Fellow John Dee Holeman
• Piedmont expert Michael Roach
• Lightnin’ Wells – the man who seemingly does it all

Plectrum is not spoken here. The right thumb lays down the bass
line, and fingers independently play the melody, chords, fills, and
other treble voices – much the way ragtime pianists divided their right
and left hands into different functions. The approach worked for Delta
and country-ragtime blues as well, but reached it’s apex in the
Piedmont style.

The Piedmont Blues Intensive will run October 15-18, 2009. It's going to be a blast, and we hope you can join us.

Visit our Piedmont Blues Intensive workshop page for complete information, and to register today.