Storyteller of people and places in the body of a femme Black Southern American. Sometimes singer of rootsy songs. Sharer of dope podcasts and songs.


Bruce Piephoff has been writing and performing songs and poetry for over 40
years.  He began in Chapel Hill, NC in the late 60's, while a student at
UNC-Chapel Hill, at the age of 19.  Searching for a major, he decided on
English, and followed a life long love of literature.  As a child, Bruce was
a dreamer at heart, and loved the classic comic books of that time.  These
led him to the classics themselves, including Huckleberry Finn, The Count of
Monte Cristo, Moby Dick, etc.  

 

After two years, Bruce dropped out of college to pursue music.  He was
particularly inspired by his dad's collection of Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie
records.  His dad also played guitar, harmonica, and sang as a hobby, but
Bruce immediately felt this could be his vocation.  Bruce traveled
nationwide, playing in small cafes and bars.  He spent time in New York,
Nashville, and Los Angeles, before travelling to Europe and playing in the
streets of Amsterdam as a busker.  By the age of 27, he had landed back in
Durham, NC, working at John Umstead Hospital as a music and recreation
therapist, and playing his music on weekends.  

 

From there, Bruce decided to go back to UNC-Greensboro, where he finished
his education with a B.A. in English, and a M.F.A. in Creative Writing from
the school's acclaimed writing program.  He studied poetry with Fred
Chappell and Robert Watson before entering the N.C. Arts Council's Visiting
Artists Program.  This program enabled Bruce to become the
Artist-in-Residence in a number of community colleges across NC, including
those in Columbus, Brunswick, and Pitt counties. He then went on to
residencies in Orlando, FL; Danville, VA; Norfolk, VA; and western NC.
Bruce appeared at thousands of performances through this program, at
locations such as schools, churches, and festivals, until the program ended
in 2001.  

 

Since then, Bruce has returned to working as an independent singer,
songwriter, and poet; he has recorded 21 CDs of original material for Flyin'
Cloud Records, and performed nationwide on the folk singer/songwriter
circuit.  He just published his second book of poetry, Fiddlers and Middlers,
in 2009. In October, 2011, he released his 21st CD, Still Looking Up At The Stars, produced by Scott Sawyer.   Bruce has shared the stage with
Steve Forbert, Riders In The Sky, Greg Allman, Chuck Brodsky, Tom Paxton,
and others,  and has played everywhere from Merlefest to the Kennedy
Center in Washington, DC.

Bruce Piephoff 
Bruce Piephoff has been recording and performing, mostly out of Greensboro, for several decades. Firmly a part of the Appalachian tradition of story-songs and character portraits, it’s his versatility that makes his music so fascinating. Easily touching both the shores of folk music and poetry with simple, compelling imagery and subtle depth, Piephoff's unassuming voice, ringing with wit and sincerity, steals the show.   

BRUCE PIEPHOFF w/ SCOTT SAWYER
Bruce Piephoff has been writing and performing songs and poetry for over 40 years. He began in Chapel Hill, NC in the late 60's while a student at UNC-Chapel Hill. Bruce has recorded 21 CDs of original, independent, songs and poetry for Flyin' Cloud Records and Speranza Records, and has performed nationwide on the folk singer/songwriter circuit. He just published his second book of poetry, Fiddlers and Middlers, in 2009. Bruce has shared the stage with Steve Forbert, Riders In The Sky, Greg Allman, Chuck Brodsky, Tom Paxton, and others, and has played everywhere from Merlefest to the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Fresh out of high school, Scott met Bruce circa 1976 on Tate St. in Greensboro, NC. The untimely demise of a mutual & dear friend initiated their 1st performance together in almost 30 years (summer of 2009). With Scott Sawyer on lead electric guitar, Bruce, on acoustic guitar, harmonica and vocals, performs his music and poetry, spanning material from the 1970's and forward. Fans of Townes van Zandt, Elizabeth Cotten, Dylan, Mississippi John Hurt, Joni Mitchell, the blues, roots music, the beat poets, Bukowski, jazz and more are urged to check out this "rare" collaboration.

www.brucepiephoff.net
www.scottsawyer.net/bruce&scott.html
www.reverbnation.com/brucepiephoff

Bookings:
Laura Dodd
brucepiephoff@gmail.com
336.852.7218

Followers of Malcolm Kenton