Virgil Harden

    I was born in a small log cabin in rural Wythe County Virginia—the third son of four to a farmer and sometimes carpenter who played the banjo, guitar, mandolin, harmonica, fiddle and anything else that he could find that had strings. My mom played some too.
     I had polio when I was four and as part of my rehabilitation my Mom and Dad encouraged me in music. So it’s no wonder it’s in my blood now. I have been playing, singing and writing since I was ten or so. I started with the harmonica, then the guitar, then came the mandolin, and last but not least the banjo. My love of music has been a passion as long as I can remember.
    There surely was plenty of inspiration in the people and countryside of Virginia. At the age of fifteen I wrote my first song about my sweetheart. Since then I have written several hundred songs and recorded a number of them. If you are curious about my life, just take a listen, because most of my songs are about my personal experiences or things I have seen as I have passed through life.In addition to continuing to create new music over the past ten years, I have headed up my acoustic bluegrass band called “Appalachian Countdown” where I am lead singer and play rhythm guitar.
    I’ve been blessed with three sons and three daughters. All of whom I love dearly. They have given me many grandchildren to spoil. Over the years I’ve worked at most every type of job to provide for my large family from being a coal miner to an engineering instructor, but my “first love” as far as a vocation goes has always been my music. Now my family is grown and raising families of their own I am able to turn more of my attention to following my dream in music.

    It is no wonder he is sometimes affectionately called the "Tender Hearted Man" because the words from each song spill out from a tender heart!
     I guess I’ll be at it till it’s time for me to join that band up above. My dream is to play one of the songs I have written on stage at the “Grand Ole Opry” someday.