Learning from Turner Foddrell - Ferrum, VA
Turner Foddrell's brand of blues is derived from the 'Piedmont style',
which comes from the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains, ranging
from Georgia up to Virginia. While influenced by Scottish fiddle-tunes
and dance music, it also retains a strong blues flavor. The thumb on the
guitarist's picking hand alternates between two bass notes, while the
melody is syncopated simultaneously with the other fingers. Together
with his son Lynn, who not only plays in the Piedmont style but adds in
contemporary influences, the pair make a formidable duo.
Turner is the proud owner of a grocery store near Ferrum VA off of Route 1. The pictures above show him and his son playing guitar in the store. During the time I was there jamming with them, customers would stop and peer over the shelves to listen to the music. A couple of them grabbed chairs and were treated to a concert, right there next to the boxes of cereal and cough syrup.
Here's a shot of Turner and me posing in front of his Model 'T' Ford, which he built himself from a kit. We took a ride later and words just can't describe what it was like to cruise down Rt. 1 in VA in that Model 'T'. Turner even let me blow the horn. Aooooga.
Turner, Lynn and I played songs all morning long in his store. Around
noon Turner asked me if I would like to take a ride up to his house for
some supper. His wife just made some beans, rice and cabbage and Turner
said it was the best in Patrick County. How could I refuse? So we got in
his car and started off. We only went 1/10th (not even) of a mile when
he started to turn up the driveway of the house just down the road,
right next to his store. It was his house! I guess he just like to
cruise in that car of his.
