Black Music History set for Resurgence: Rhiannon Giddens, Equipped with Banjo, Braces for Pivotal Moment
Down at the river, Rhiannon Giddens sparks a flame of heritage, inviting anyone interested to join her dance. This river's same a beacon of solace, play, and history. Last summer, Giddens and Justin Robinson crafted their album "What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow" with traditional banjo and fiddle tunes, recording a few songs at Mill Prong House in Red Springs, N.C.
Stepping inside the house, built in 1795 on a plantation, Giddens felt an intense connection. "I knew who worked these fields," she says. "I knew who served here - and it was people who looked like me." Up on the wall, a reunion photo of old white men from Chapel Hill, including her Black family's last name from Mebane, overwhelmed her. "I had to run to the river," she recalls, captured by a photographer before it started to rain.
In this moment, Giddens ponders the countless souls who've sought refuge at the river. She shoulders the weight of her ancestors' stories, both the sorrow and the joy, and offers an open invitation to audiences to join in and share their own stories. The inaugural Biscuits & Banjos Festival in her native North Carolina and her current Old-Time Revue tour, including a big Hollywood Bowl show on June 18 [2025], are testaments to this invitation [3].
The Hollywood Bowl lineup boasts an array of banjos, with stars like Steve Martin and Ed Helms alongside a reunion of the all-female banjo supergroup Our Native Daughters [1]. Giddens, 48, carries an air of wisdom as an "elder" in the "Blackbird" liner notes. Despite her age, she bridges a cultural gap; her work, along with talent from Beyoncé to Carrie Underwood, rekindles the legacy of the banjo and string band traditions as authentically Black creations [4].
In another part of the musical journey, Terri Lyne Carrington honors the revolutionary spirit of Max Roach on We Insist 2025! Giddens, with her Durham festival in April, attracted musical icons like Taj Mahal and Christian McBride [5]. Her first-ever Hollywood Bowl performance will be a leap into new territory for this roots musician.
References:
[1] https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/events/detail/rhiannon-giddens-american-tunes
[2] https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/music/news/rhiannon-giddens-new-tour-american-tunes-1235168612/
[3] https://www.laweekly.com/music/rhiannon-giddens-old-time-revue-set-to-play-hollywood-bowl-amidst-a-landmark-year-11401385
[4] https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/28/arts/music/rhiannon-giddens-interview.html
[5] https://www.npr.org/2021/07/01/1014579676/rhiannon-giddens-her-american-tunes-continue-a-musical-quest-for-the-truth
- Rhiannon Giddens' upcoming performance at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California, is a testament to her invitation for audiences to share their stories, bridging a cultural gap and rekindling the legacy of the banjo and string band traditions as authentically Black creations.
- The Hollywood Bowl lineup includes renowned banjo players like Steve Martin, Ed Helms, and Our Native Daughters, an all-female banjo supergroup, highlighting the entertainment industry's interest in preserving and celebrating the rich history and culture of traditional music.
- In her native North Carolina, Rhiannon Giddens organized the Biscuits & Banjos Festival and her Old-Time Revue tour, showcasing the cultural significance of traditional Southern music and inviting audiences to join in and share their stories.
- Rhiannon Giddens, with her wisdom as an "elder" in the music industry, offers an open invitation for new generations to explore the roots of music and reclaim their heritage, tapping into the enduring power of the banjo and string band traditions.
- Apart from her involvement in the revival of traditional music in her home state, Rhiannon Giddens has attracted musical icons like Taj Mahal and Christian McBride to her Durham festival, demonstrating the wide-reaching influence of her work and its ability to connect people through shared musical experiences.
