Charles Hedgepath
Greenville, South Carolina, United States | SELF
Music
Press
Jazz chords and bluegrass licks separate Charles Hedgepath’s solo shows from the unplugged horde.
“It’s not the typical guy in the corner, strumming an acoustic and singing at the top of your voice thing,” Hedgepath says.
The 31-year-old guitarist has two solo records to his credit. 2008’s “Instruments of Peace” includes the cowboy song “Green Eyed Girl,” accented with dobro ache. An instrumental track, “PLRD,” mixes velvet guitar with congas, flute and fretless bass. It’s easy to imagine Hedgepath’s R&B/jam band The Work playing the number. And they have.
“We’ve watched each other grow up, personally and musically,” Hedgepath says. “(The band) is a democracy.”
Outside The Work’s patchouli grooves, it’s easier to hear Hedgepath’s own influences, including Wes Montgomery and Tony Rice.
Hedgepath’s first solo record, “Odds & Ends” features the Grisman/Garcia flutter of “Don Quixote.”
Hedgepath estimates he’s played about 250 solo gigs at Smiley’s Acoustic Café in Greenville. Sit-ins are standard for the sets, with regular guests including upright bassist Gene Dillard and blues guy Michael King.
“It’s almost a revolving door of people,” Hedgepath says.
Sometimes at the Smiley’s shows, Hedgepath even sits down his Taylor guitar to borrow a Martin belonging to the bar’s owner, David Smith.
- Metromix
Discography
Instruments of Peace
We Three Kings
Sprituals
Photos
Bio
Charles Hedgepath is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist who is talented enough to write and play multiple musical forms, including jazz, folk, funk, western swing, country, bluegrass and more. Holding true to the belief that getting involved with more is better than settling for the same old song and dance, Hedgepath constantly strives to network and collaborate with as many talented musicians as he can. And the results of his ever-widening roster of colleagues has thus far yielded him three fantastic albums and tour and gig dates across the southeastern United States and beyond. Working with musical veterans such as Jeff Sipe (Aquarium Rescue Unit), Bobby Lee Rogers (The Code Talkers), Yonrico Scott (Derek Trucks Band), and Ike Stubblefield, as well as being a member of the bands The Work and The Bad Popes, Hedgepath is continually embarking on new musical ventures. To add to his 2008 CD Instruments of Peace and 2009's We Three Kings--an instrumental collection of Christmas tunes rendered with a lot of funk and a lot of soul, the proceeds from which go directly to benefit the Ronald McDonald House of the Carolinas charity--Charles is currently in the studio working on a gospel album. For those who have never heard of this South Carolina native, check out his tunes here on this site and you will hear what has been getting many people in the Palmetto state moving and talking for the past decade.
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