Biography
Bill Aeschilman is a chairmaker, woodturner, and builder of fine furniture in Craddockville, Virginia. He built a five string banjo in 2000 and proceeded to learn how to play. Before long, friends began to gather on Thurdsay nights for some bluegrass jammin' and the Turkey Pen Pickers were born.
Allen Caisson began playing guitar in 1989. A self taught musician, he practiced alone at the get go. About 4 years ago that changed when he heard of a small group of musicians that were getting together once a week just to "play." the small group was Bill, Tom Wescott and Allen himself along with a few others. He loves playing music
with others (it was always lonely prior to the Thurs. night jams!). Not to mention, skills
actually improve playing with others
.
Tom Wescott first learned to play the Ukelele as a kid back in the Arthur Godfrey days, then took up tenor guitar, and graduated to the steel 6-string by the time he went to college. After college the guitar was stored in a closet for years until he started playing Bluegrass with Bill A. When Bill stopped playing guitar and built a banjo, things really took off and lo and behold, the Turkey Pen Pickers were born. Tom designs and builds furniture for a living, and nowadays he takes even more care not to whack off any fingers in the shop!
Having played the acoustic guitar for thirty years, Drury felt called to play the mandolin in 2002. After some time of practice, he felt of sufficient ability to barge into a Turkey Pen Pickers gig at a party in the summer of 2003. He apparently did not totally turn them off as he has been allowed to play with the organization since.
Turkey Pen Pickers
Fred Kern penultimate guitar player and sound system guru hails from Delaware and lives in Scarborough's Neck with his lovely wife, Laura..
President Lee Hicklin loves to dance with his upright bass when he's not running Bryant and Stratton College in Virginia Beach.