The Punch List with Wilson Pippin
Metronome Charleston‘s weekly Punch List puts local musicians on the spot with a questionnaire that touches on music, venues, gear, records, vices, and more. This week, bassist/guitarist and part-time audio engineer Wilson Pippin takes a turn.
1. What is your favorite local hang and why?
“Burns Alley. I’ve been hanging out there since they opened. The owners and staff have treated me like family since the beginning. I like it because it’s off the beaten path a little and has a devoted regular clientele. I even have a plaque at my seat. And where else can you get a shot of Jack Daniel’s and a Natty Light for only $5?”
2. You know you’ve played an excellent show when…
“I don’t want it to end. It seems after every show people tell you how great a job you’ve done, but when you can sense true genuineness in the compliment, that’s when you know.”
Wilson Pippin (far left) with Guilt Ridden Troubadour and Mac Leaphart at Home Team BBQ on Sullivan’s Island (photo by Ballard Lesemann)
3. What was the last show you attended that really got you fired up in a good or bad way?
“I saw Wilco in Camden, N.J., at the end of last summer. Wilco absolutely blew my mind. I’ve been a big fan for years and it was my first show. It sure didn’t hurt that Dr. Dog and the Avett Brothers opened the show.”
4. Define your musical style in exactly 10 words.
“Simple, Sloppy, High-Energy, Twangy.” [ed: that's only five!]
5. What’s your theme song?
“‘Green Onions’ by Booker T and the MG’s. Probably since I first saw the movie the The Sandlot when I was ten. It still gets me going the same way 20 years later.”
6. Gear-wise, what’s is your irreplaceable baby?
“My Gibson J-45. My 2005 model, not my 1956… Seems like it should be the other way around, but I’ve just never felt more comfortable on any other guitar in my whole life.”
7. What’s the most overplayed album in your collection?
“Exile on Main Street by the Rolling Stones.”
8. When was the last time you were genuinely star-struck?
“When I got to meet John Prine a few years ago. My co-workers at the time couldn’t figure out why I was so excited about meeting ‘some old guy.’”
9. What’s your poison?
“Evan Williams Black Label Bourbon. I wish I could afford Jack Daniels, but hell the bottles look pretty similar.”
10. In 10 years, I will be…
“40. Hopefully still doing something I love.”
An Alabama native, Wilson Pippin moved to Charleston after attending Presbyterian College in Clinton, S.C. His vast knowledge of rock, country, and Americana and his steady and tasteful technique earned him a solid reputation in town as a go-to bassist.
When Pippin isn’t twiddling knobs at the PA console at Home Team BBQ in West Ashley, he plays bass with a handful of local and regional bands and musicians, including Mac Leaphart, Luke Cunningham, the Piedmont Boys, and Guilt Ridden Troubadour.
Currently, he performs every Wednesday evening at the Home Team BBQ on Sullivan’s Island with a scaled-down version of Guilt Ridden Troubadour (alongside singer/guitarist Reid Stone and Jeff Davis). The full band will share the stage at the Windjammer with Cary Hudson (of Oxford, Miss.-based Blue Mountain) on Fri. Feb. 8.
Visit facebook.com/wilson.pippin and facebook.com/guiltriddentroubadour for more.
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About the Author
Ballard Lesemann is a musician and writer. Born and raised in Charleston, S.C., he spent years playing in bands and working for Flagpole Magazine in the bustling music town of Athens, Ga. He returned to his hometown and served more than seven years as the Charleston City Paper's music editor. He's better at drumming than he is at playing guitar.
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