When it comes to Black music, a significant part of our heritage is neglected, some would say out of ignorance and willful disregard of our past. One such genre is “old-time” music that includes blues and what is known as bluegrass music. But many do not know these musical forms are inherently black and there are artists who are keeping this tradition alive. One such artist is Rhiannon Giddens, 39, a North Carolina native who is a master of the banjo.
Giddens first came on the main music scene with the black jug band group the Carolina Chocolate Drops. The three person group featured vintage pre-war blues and music from the Appalachia region of the United States. During one concert, she explained that the music of the banjo, fiddle, jug, acoustic guitar and spoons was predominantly played by Black musicians. Giddens is an accomplished player who travelled to West Africa to search the roots and melodies of the banjo, which is a direct descendant of the African instrument known as the Ko. She was accepted by a group of African masters, who recognized her skill and talent and deemed her worthy of carrying on this musical tradition. Now Rhiannon has achieved a notable honor in the US by being awarded the “Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass.” She is the first woman and first Black musician to achieve the coveted prize that grants a $50K award. The prize is named after iconic comedian and banjo player Steve Martin who stated, “Rhiannon has made a rare contribution to American music. She, along with the Carolina Chocolate Drops, has resurrected and revitalized an important part of banjo history.”
The original Carolina Chocolate Drops consisted of Giddens, Dom Flemons and Justin Robinson, who met in 2005 at the Black Banjo Gathering in Boone, North Carolina. The group released a successful album in 2010 titled Genuine Negro Jig, which won a Grammy. The Carolina Chocolate Drops also were featured in the 2007 Denzel Washington film The Great Debaters as the band in the roadhouse scene. The group has not performed together in sometime as each member has struck off on solo careers. The Steve Martin prize has no application and is decided by a board of notable musicians that includes J.D. Crowe, Tony Trischka, Bela Fleck, Alison Brown and other banjo luminaries.
When she was informed of the award, Giddens stated, “I had no idea I was even in consideration. It feels like some pretty great recognition from such great players and advocates, but it’s not even about me. It’s more about the style of banjo that I champion, which is very different from bluegrass. History is a big part of it, and me this is another step toward tying us back together. Banjo is such a universal instrument, America’s instrument and a part of both some great and not-so-great things in our history. But both things are out there and if you don’t talk about one, you miss out on the other.”
