2020-10-14

Freddie Vanderford

Vanderford (Buffalo, South Carolina)

Growing up in Buffalo, South Carolina, Vanderford first learned to play the mouth harp, or harmonica, from his grandfather, who played “old mountain songs” on the instrument. Initially, Vanderford blended the country style of his grandfather with the sound of the Chicago blues. However, an encounter with the Piedmont blues of Arthur “Peg Leg Sam” Jackson would forever change Vanderford’s musical style. As a knowledgeable cultural historian and traditional performer, Vanderford is highly sought after for his performing and recording talents. Vanderford received the Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award in 2010.

Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/14/2020.

Holly Hobbs

Music; United States; Covid-19 Pandemic

Buffalo, South Carolina

Musicians in America during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Society for Ethnomusicology