Jeff was raised on his family's farm in Chesterfield County, SC, where he worked as a tractor driver in his formative years. He used to work out songs to the ongoing drone of a Moline diesel engine plowing through the scorching summer heat. "And freeze my butt off during Winter," Jeff adds. "Dawn 'til dusk. And sometimes then some, 'cause Daddy would leave you out plowing in the dark if the tractor had lights!"The Norwood family had to give up the farm, due to bad years, loans and government intervention. Jeff wasn't able to live off the land anymore and wasn't really cut out for the corporate world or the mill. He wound up on the road doing sound and filling in with the chitlin' circuit R&B acts still working the scene.Jeff has been playing clubs and juke joints all over the Southeast. He learned how to be a professional entertainer firsthand in the trenches of the Deep South jukes. "I've played some pretty rough places and had to learn real quick how to keep folks happy whatever it took," Jeff explains. "So far to my credit, I haven't been cut or shot and can whip out a Hank, Sr. song on a 50 dollar guitar missing a few strings, if I have to."Norwood had some indie success with his rock band, The Headnecks, in the late '90's and charted nationally on college radio. Jeff became disillusioned with the modern rock scene, scrapped the band, and immersed himself in the Blues.Norwood had some indie success with his rock band, The Headnecks, in the late '90's and charted nationally on college radio. Jeff became disillusioned with the modern rock scene, scrapped the band, and immersed himself in the Blues.Jeff now performs full time and has played festivals and venues nationwide. He stays busy locally, performing 4 to 5 nights per week, mostly in SC, NC and GA.Norwood has played at several major blues festivals:King Biscuit in Helena, AK
Riverwalk Blues Festival, in Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Piccolo Spoletto, in Charleston, SC
Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale, MS
Sweet Gum Bottom in Greenville, AL
Low Country Bluesbash, in Charleston,SC
Carolina Downhome Blues Festival, in Camden, SC
. . .with more on the way.
Norwood has worked with more than a few well known artists in several genres: Rock, Blues, R&B, Indie, Punk, etc.. "If name dropping gets you going, whatever," Jeff remarks."I've learned a lot, both good and bad, from those I've worked with," he says. "That's what matters to me."
Although Norwood is more than capable and willing to play many styles of music, his primary influence is the music of the Mississippi delta and hill country.Norwood has also begun to make a reputation for himself on bottleneck and resonator guitar. " I think I gotta long way to go on it myself," he claims. " But I can hang with most anyone out there doing it today... whoever that is."Norwood is also very focused on the preservation of the traditional music and culture of the American Southeast. " A lot of people my age have not seen what I've seen or done what I've done.... at least very few white people," he laughs. "I am afraid the real roots of the Blues will be lost to all time, without folks like me keeping it alive and kicking. My music heroes are droppin' like flies every day it seems like!"Website
http://www.jeffsblues.com
Discography:
2007 new studio recording "BLACK DARK" all norwood originals. advance copies floating about. get them at gigs from jeff. no real release plans at present. too busy playing live.
The Chiggers "Live at the Pub" Just a crossed pair of mics in Aiken, SC, and a decent band in front of 'em.
Solo: "Resonate"
2004 limited issue. A few left. About outta luck on this one.
"Live 7-9-05" EP out now!
20 minutes of straight up live hot smokin' resonator and no edits.
"East of Mississippi"
Cut this one in studio live in 2 hours, NO LONGER AVAILABLE.
With The Headnecks:
"Plutonium Chickenshack"
1997 indie release. Studio rock but some fine moments. Get one quick. You can't get this stuff no more.Order from:
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