Sammy Tedder – saxophonist, composer and primitive musical instrument maker
Using the sounds of the Florida wilderness, hand made river cane flutes,sax, percussion and keyboard Sammy blends his unique melodic style into calming and reflective music that sooths the soul.
Sammy Tedder’s musical talents stretch more than 45 years of performing, composing and recording sounds close to his heart.
Sammy began playing the saxophone at age 11 and by age 15 was performing in concerts and dance bands. Since the early 1970’s he has been playing in bands such as Sopchoppy’s Wakulla, Tallahassee’s Labamba and Riverbreeze. These bands have been the opening act for many musical luminaries such as B.B. King, Jimmy Buffet, Leon Russell, Edgar Winter, Minnie Ripperton, George Benson. and the Atlanta Rhythm Section.
In 1986 Tedder performed concerts in the Soviet Union on behalf the Florida Department of Cultural Affairs to promote cultural exchanges between the two countries. In 1996 Sammy was featured on The Nashville Network’s Prime Time Country with country music legend Tom T. Hall to promote the album Songs from Sopchoppy.
Being a 5th generation Florida Native, Sammy was always intrigued by the natural sounds—frogs, insects, birds, water, thunder and rain— from Florida’s woods, swamps and coastlines and so began to weave these sounds into his musical compositions. Also deeply interested in how the first primitive instruments such as drums and flutes were created, Tedder learned how to make drums from hollow cypress or black gum logs and how to craft flutes from native woods such as cypress and river cane that grow along Florida’s creeks and rivers. Tedder’s original scores and album projects feature these hand made flutes, drums and other percussion instruments accompanied by contemporary instruments and the natural sounds of the Florida Wilderness.
Tedder’s music reflects his deep respect for the original inhabitants of this land and his passion for protecting our natural places for future generations.
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