Richard Drueding
Richard Drueding, 66, of Mt. Airy, a widely-known guitarist, composer and teacher who performed extensively throughout the Delaware Valley, died March 1 of a heart attack at the Bucks County Folk Music Shop in New Britain after giving guitar lessons to students.
Mr. Drueding’s original compositions and arrangements of popular songs drew from many traditional and modern forms of music. His performances combined blues, folk, Latin American, rock and roll and jazz – all blended with a singular voice.
In addition to solo performances, Mr. Drueding performed with folk singer/songwriter Tom Paxton, guitarist/singer Vicente Castaneda, jazz and blues vocalist Zan Gardner, spoken word artist Sandy Crimmins, Mt. Airy singer/songwriter Tom Gala, and, more recently, with Germantown-based percussionist Jim Hamilton and saxophonist Tom Moon.
Describing Mr. Drueding as “just a gorgeous artist,” Paxton said, “I will always remember his music and his unique guitar work.”
He was also known locally to many for his work over the years with harpist Gloria Galante, the Wanamaker Lewis Trio and drummer Stephen Ferraro. He recently recorded tracks on his son Emmett’s much acclaimed album, “Strange Bruise.”
He was a frequent performer at the Mermaid Inn and Rollers’ Flying Fish in Chestnut Hill. In 1989 he received the Philadelphia Music Award for his album “The Last Wound-Up.”
Born in Abington, Mr. Drueding was a graduate of St. Joseph’s Preparatory School. The son of Charles Drueding, a rower who won a bronze medal in the 1932 Olympics, he was captain of the Prep’s varsity eight rowing team.
A conscientious objector during the Vietnam War, Mr. Drueding worked in a hospital in Boston during the late 1960s. After a year of intense guitar playing when he was 24, Mr. Drueding emerged on the San Francisco scene as a fully-formed professional musician. Two years later he returned to Philadelphia where he performed and taught music for the rest of his life. He taught guitar for 20 years at the Mt. Airy Learning Tree.
During his lifetime, Mr Drueding released eight albums and performed many times on the main stage at the Philadelphia Folk Festival. He credited John Fahey, Leo Kottke and Bola Sete as major influences on his musical style.
Jim Hamilton, who had recorded one album with Mr. Drueding and was in the process of making another, described Mr. Drueding as a “great listener” and “great supporter.”
“When you played with him, he supported the person behind the musician,” Hamilton said. “Because you felt that support and encouragement, you could do things you didn’t know you could.”
Robert Sanders, a violinist who played often with Mr. Drueding, said Mr. Drueding had a great respect for the musicians he played with and “knew how to make everyone sound better, bringing everyone up a notch.”
“In his playing, he was always reaching for something out of reach, and would take great risks with his music,” Sanders said.
Edd Conboy, a friend of Mr. Drueding since both were classmates at St. Joseph’s Prep, said Mr. Drueding was “the kindest, gentlest, most compassionate person I’ve ever known.”
When he roomed with Mr. Drueding in San Francisco in 1974, Conboy said he became aware of his friend’s amazing discipline, practicing six days a week for six hours a day.
“He would be playing scales when I left for work, and would still be playing when I returned,” Conboy said.
Mr. Drueding served on the board of the Drueding Foundation, a family entity that operates the Drueding Center, which provides transitional housing and services to homeless families.
He is survived by his wife of 39 years, artist Marcia Jones; a son, Emmett; a sister, Alice; and brothers Charles and David.
A memorial celebration will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday, March 13, at the Mermaid Inn, 7673 Germantown Ave. in Mt. Airy. Memorial donations may be made in his memory to the Broad Street Ministry Hospitality Collaborative at www.broadstreetministry.org/donate. – WF
The post Richard Drueding, 66, master guitarist, dies appeared first on Chestnut Hill Local Philadelphia PA.