Phil Wiggins (1954 – 2024)

Phil Wiggins died at his home on May 7. Phil Wiggins was a harmonica player, a 2017 NEA National Heritage Fellow, and a special guest speaker and performer for the Phillips Barry Lecture at the 2023 Annual Meeting of the American Folklore Society.

It was a privilege to have Phil Wiggins join us for the Barry Memorial Panel in Portland. His participation wasn’t just about witnessing his musical brilliance or sharing how he has guided so many of us. What we wanted to underscore was that despite his acclaim, Phil always remained a diligent, thoughtful apprentice at heart. The most profound lesson he left us was his genuine valuation of people over utility, a reminder of the deep importance of relationships. Phil truly represented the best of us.

Junious Brickhouse

Listen to the Phillips Barry Memorial Panel: The Practice, Mentorship, and the Future of African American Expression: An Evening with Phil Wiggins and Ben Hunter

Read other obituaries for Phil Wiggins published by friends, family, organizations, and news outlets:

• National Endowment for the Arts Statement on the Death of National Heritage Fellow Phil Wiggins
• Phil Wiggins, Virtuoso of the Blues Harmonica, Is Dead at 69 (New York Times)
• Tribute by Jon Lohman (Center for Cultural Vibrancy Facebook page)
• Smithsonian Folkways Recordings Facebook memorial post (also see the May 9th obituary)
• Homegrown Plus: Blues with Phil Wiggins (1954 – 2024) by Stephen Winick for Library of Congress