Bluegrass Roots

June 18, 2020

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Close-up of a banjo with strings stretching over a wooden bridge on a light, textured surface. The bridge has three cutout arches, supporting four strings.

By Matt Hoisch

Picture by John Kovacich, Public Domain Pictures.

Picture by John Kovacich, Public Domain Pictures.

Friday, June 19, is the first day of KOTOgrass, a celebaration of archived and live Telluride Bluegrass performances. But Friday is also Juneteenth, a holiday that marks the day the last enslaved people in the United States found out the Civil War was over and they were free. As we acknowledge that day and our own local Bluegrass celebration, we also remember that Bluegrass music is a uniquely American mix of European, Appalachian, African, and African American musical forms. To examine the African and African American roots of Bluegrass, KOTO speaks with acclaimed musician Rhiannon Giddens and University of Tennessee musicology teacher and musician Sean McCollough.

Picture courtesy of Rhiannon Giddens.

Picture courtesy of Rhiannon Giddens.

Picture by Bill Foster, courtesy of Sean McCollough.

Picture by Bill Foster, courtesy of Sean McCollough.

Featured Music:

“there is no Other” by Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi

“Snowden’s Jig (Genuine Negro Jig)” by the Carolina Chocolate Drops

“Following the North Star” by Rhiannon Giddens

“Wayfaring Stranger” by Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi

Original banjo music by Sean McCollough

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