Lightnin’ Wells

Location: R.A. Fountain

from our promo for this concert

Lightnin’ Wells returns to Fountain General Store this Friday night for a concert of old-time, blues, gospel, and early 20th century pop and vaudeville songs.

Wells, a West Virginia native who grew up in Goldsboro, has been performing since the 1960s in a variety of bands and styles of American music. From his home in Fountain, he travels throughout the U.S. and Europe for solo performances as well as shows with many of the best known second generation of Piedmont blues musicians. 

A master of many instruments, Wells will be performing in Fountain for the first time on his 1920s tiple, a 10-string ukulele made in South America. His usual repertoire also incorporates performances on acoustic and resonator guitars, harmonica, mandolin, banjo, and both standard and tenor ukuleles. He also accompanies himself with yodeling and whistling.

“Lightnin’s musical reputation is built on his Piedmont blues performances,” said Fountain General Store proprietor Alex Albright. “But his live shows are really encyclopedic journeys through early American popular song. He mixes styles and instrumentation with a lively running commentary that’s as educational as it is fun. The result is one of the most entertaining shows we host.”

Wells teaches old-time and blues guitar workshops at some of the best known festivals in the U.S. He was recently a judge for the old-time and bluegrass band competitions at the Hoppin’ John Festival, where he was also a featured blues performer.

Tags: blues, Concert, country, Delta blues, folk, gospel, guitar, harmonica, hokum, old-time, Piedmont blues