Give Me The Banjo on PBS

[JM]

PBS Arts : Give Me The Banjo

The banjo's been called America's quintessential instrument, perhaps because its long and contested history has encompassed so many popular musical forms, from black folk styles and the 19th century minstrel show, to blues, ragtime, early jazz, old time folk and bluegrass. One of the biggest challenges of making Give Me the Banjo was trying to cover the full range and breadth of music that the banjo has helped to shape.

Ask Dr. Ralph Stanley what he's been playing for the last half century and he'll call it "old time mountain music." Enjoy these diverse performances from Cynthia Sayer, Taj Mahal, Rhiannon Giddens and Abigail Washburn. For more on the banjo's diverse styles and history, visit The Banjo Project.​

Welcome to The Banjo Project

 

[AThornquist]

All I know is that when I am lost in the deep forests of Kentucky, the sound of a banjo is not what I want to hear in the distance.

 

[JM]

"Whose pickin' the banjer?"

I understand your reference to Deliverance and will post this in response:

[video=youtube;1tqxzWdKKu8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tqxzWdKKu8[/video]

Maybe after viewing the PBS speical you'll view the banjo differently? Taj Mahal plays blues, the Chocolate Drops play everything including R & B and Bella Fleck plays jazz...all on the banjo.