Rhiannon Giddens Wins MacArthur Foundation 'Genius Grant'

Rhiannon Giddens has been on a roll this past year. In 2016, she was awarded the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass. In February, her third solo album, "Freedom Highway," was released on Nonesuch Records. On Sept. 26, she was selected as the keynote speaker at the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) conference. And today, she was named among the recipients of the MacArthur Foundation fellowships, the so-called "Genius Grants."

Of course, like many of you, I first became aware of Giddens' work with the wonderful Carolina Chocolate Drops, a group that studied under the late, great fiddler Joe Thompson and sought to reclaim the African American tradition of Appalachian string band music. Along with founding bandmates Justin Robinson and Dom Flemons, Giddens won a 2010 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album with "Genuine Negro Jig."

The Chocolate Drops were among the earliest influences that sparked my love for the banjo and old-time music. I saw them three or four times over the years, and followed their lead in discovering Thompson's music, the black string band music available on "Altamont: Black Stringband Music from the Library of Congress" and in reading more about the history of the African American influence on this music from such authors as Dena Epstein, Cecilia Conway and Howard and Judy Sacks.

The Chocolate Drops continue today under a new formation, still led by Giddens, but Robinson and Flemons have since departed to pursue other musical projects. The new lineup was nominated for a Grammy for Best Folk Album with their 2012 release, "Leaving Eden."

Meanwhile, Giddens released her first solo album, "Tomorrow Is My Turn," in 2015, which was produced by the legendary T. Bone Burnett and was nominated for a Grammy for Best Folk Album. Her followup EP "Factory Girl," culled from the same recording sessions with Burnett, was released in 2016 and received two more Grammy nominations, for Best Folk Album and Best American Roots Performance.

Giddens' mission has been to highlight the African American influence on American roots music and to reconnect audiences to this history and social context of the banjo and old-time, bluegrass and country music.

Click here to read Giddens' keynote address to the IBMA. It is well worth reading.

And here's a great video from the MacArthur Foundation:

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The Ultimate Banjo Joke Compendium

This post is dedicated to my friend Joel Specht. Ever since the Olitsky & Moskovitz concert last month, my son has been obsessed with banjo jokes. During one of the MANY tuning breaks, they asked the crowd to fill the time by telling their favorite quips about the old five-string. Joel told many that night. I've been trying to remember them, along with best ones I've heard over the years for when my son asks again, so I thought I'd make this list. Question: What's the difference between a banjo and an onion? Answer: Nobody cries when you cut up a banjo. Question: How do you know if the floor is level? Answer: The banjo player is drooling out of both sides of his mouth. Question: What's the difference between a banjo and trampoline? Answer: You take your shoes off to jump on a trampoline. Question: What's the definition of perfect pitch? Answer: When you can throw a banjo into a dumpster without hitting the sides. Question: How do yo

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Clawhammer Picks and You: A Review

Clawhammer picks are a useful tool for increasing volume or to overcome fingernail challenges, such as broken, too short or weak nails. There are all sorts of commercial and homemade solutions available for banjo players, but it can be difficult to decide which options to choose. Thankfully, I've already done some of the work for you. Just to be clear, I prefer my natural fingernail for frailing. However, there was a time when I experimented with regularly using a pick, and there are instances now where I find that a pick is necessary. Today, I'll take you through the five options I've tried. These are all available online at prices ranging from about $1 to $13. Reversed/Reshaped Dunlop Pick ($0.75) This was the most common suggestion before other companies started addressing the gap in the clawhammer pick market. Take a bluegrass pick, flatten it out and wear it backwards. The problem is that it's hard to get the fit right. While Dunlop picks are cheap and r

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Summer Blockbusters: Top 10 Banjo Movies

We’re nearing the end of the summer movie season, which this year has included blockbusters like Avengers: Infinity War , Solo: A Star Wars Story , Incredibles 2 and other movies, including some that weren’t produced by Disney. However, none of these films showcases a banjo in any way. It's not like the banjo hasn't been featured on the silver screen throughout film history. The five-string has starred in numerous movies, sometimes in its proper context as a musical instrument and other times as a comedic prop. Whether making a cameo or starring in the hands of the main character, it's well past time to present my Top 10 Banjo Blockbusters: O Brother Where Art Thou? (2000) Written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, this movie sucked me into the realm of old-time , bluegrass and country music in general. The banjo is featured in a number of songs on the soundtrack and shows up on screen a few times throughout the movie. Top Banjo Moment: Delmar picks the banjo b

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The Glory-Beaming Banjo

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