Lightnin' Wells
Lightnin' Wells | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Michael Wells |
| Born | West Virginia, United States |
| Origin | North Carolina, United States |
| Genres | Piedmont blues |
| Occupation(s) | Guitarist, harmonicist, singer, one-man band, record producer |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar, vocals, ukulele, mandolin, banjo, harmonica |
| Years active | Early 1970s–present |
| Labels | Music Maker, various |
| Website | Official website |
Lightnin' Wells is an American Piedmont blues multi-instrumentalist and singer. He is a proficient musician and regularly plays various instruments in concert including the guitar, mandolin, harmonica, ukulele and banjo. At times he has performed as a one-man band. His style encompasses elements of the blues, country, gospel, old-time, bluegrass and folk. Mark Coltrain stated in Living Blues that, "You won't find a more versatile musician around – able to move deftly between country blues, old-time banjo, and novelty tunes with a single pluck. Lightnin' Wells changes the past..."
Wells has released six solo albums and worked for ten years on the board of directors at Music Maker Relief Foundation. His most recent recording was O Lightnin', Where Art Thou? (2017).