Toe-Tapping Tunes to Make You Smile, Darn Ya, Smile
Part blues and part old school country, seasoned with a pinch of gospel, Kentucky-born guitarist Dean Phelps combines the rhythmic beat of thumbpick guitar with a soulful vocal style. He stirs his guitar and voice into a repertoire of songs from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, creating a style that is reminiscent of performers like Merle Travis and Doc Watson with just a hint of Leon Redbone.
Dean has earned both local and national recognition for his guitar playing, winning the National Thumbpicking Guitar Contest at the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View, Ark., and being named thumbpick guitar champion at the Indiana Picking and Fiddling Championship.
