A New Generation Guitarist

Thursday, October 14, 2010 (updated , 2010 3:00 am)
By Carole Perkins

Bruce Piephoff pauses midway through the set he’s playing at the Tate Street Festival Sept. 25 in honor of his recently deceased musician friend, Dakota Joe. Lowering the microphone, Piephoff invites 11-year-old Ranford Almond to play a couple of songs while he repairs a broken string on his acoustic guitar.

The crowd surrounding the stage grows silent as Ranford strums the first chords of Townes Van Zandt’s classic song “Greensboro Woman.” Camera’s flick and videos roll as Ranford sings about “Texas lovin’ laying heavy on my mind.”

The audience grows by the time Ranford sings the Piephoff-penned “Rosalita.”

One encore later, Almond exits the stage to the roar of “One more song!”

UNCG student Lauren Plank, 22, points at the bumps on her arm.

“He’s good not because he’s so young but because he’s so GOOD!” she exclaims.

Although there is a 50-year age difference between Piephoff and Ranford, their love of music transcends generations. Music instructor Rex Griffin, who taught violin to Ranford for years, recognized his student’s interest in songwriting and nudged him to study with master songwriter Piephoff.

Piephoff, who has 20 CDs to his credit, knew Ranford had something special from the first song he played and invited him to appear onstage at some of his shows. Their relationship has grown from student/mentor to one of friendship.

Sitting on the front porch of their Browns Summit home, Danielle and Dave Almond reminisce about how much their son has always loved music. Dad calls his son an “old soul.” Mom believes he was like that even in the womb.

“Every time I played Jerry Garcia, he’d start moving all around in my belly,” says Danielle Almond, motioning with her hands above her stomach. “He sang his first song, 'Hand Me Down Your Walking Cane,’ when he was 4 years old riding in his car seat.”

Ranford sways on the porch swing, tapping his flip-flops to the rhythm of Piephoff’s song “Big Foot in the Door,” which he has just learned. Piephoff prompts him kindly when Ranford trips on a lyric.

“You’re sounding good kid,” Piephoff says. “Nice instrumental work there.”

Ranford moves to a stool while Piephoff takes the swing. They chuckle as they attempt to find a key that’s not too high for Piephoff or too low for Ranford.

Danielle Almond rushes to grab her video camera, pleading for them to wait until she returns.

Too late. Piephoff is already singing.

Ranford, strumming his own rhythm, sings the next verse.

Now that they’ve started, they don’t want to quit. They’re two old souls singing about prison, love and weariness. They’re happy to share a penchant for songs that evolved in the 1960s with poet/songwriters such as John Prine, Guy Clark and Kris Kristofferson.

As Piephoff packs his guitar away for the night, he caresses the supple leather on the strap. Billy Ransom Hobbs had given this to Dakota Joe before he died two years ago. Joe, in turn, passed it along to Piephoff before he died.

“The beauty of music is that you can always take it with you,” Piephoff says. “I feel like I have a wealth of experience I’d like to pass along, and Ranford has already experienced the gift of giving back to people through music.

“It’s a gift he can enjoy the rest of his life.”

Contact Carole Perkins at CPGuilford@aol.com