Participation Type
Paper
Presentation #1 Title
Reviving Voices, Rewriting History; Rhiannon Giddens’ Banjo and Her Search for Truth
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
Greensboro, North Carolina native Rhiannon Giddens is reviving the music of the Appalachian south. From tunes like “Cornbread and Butterbeans,” “Riro’s House,” and “Ruby, Are you Mad at Your Man,” recorded with The Carolina Chocolate Drops to “Waterboy,” “Shake Sugaree,” and “Tomorrow is My Turn,” from her debut album of the same name, Giddens has revitalized traditional Appalachian voices for the millennials. She plays “Julie” on an 1850s replica banjo and belts out a ballad that transports the audience to the origins of African—Appalachian mountain music. Yes, it’s roots music, but new music too. Giddens is adding to the voices of history; she’s written in the slave’s voice in ballads that follow the style of the era. In “I’ll Wait for You in Tennessee,” Giddens prefaces the song with a little history lesson about the underground railroad and diaspora. In “Black is the Color,” and “Tomorrow is My Turn,” we hear echoes of another North Carolinian; Appalachian born Nina Simone. Giddens channels the spirit of voices from the near and distant past to share their songs with new audiences. In an interactive presentation of scholarship and music, we will explore the reaches of these songs and the importance of knowing their history.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Alana Sherrill is a poet, artist, and scholar from North Carolina. She teaches literature, criticism, and composition at Johnson & Wales University, Charlotte.
Reviving Voices, Rewriting History; Rhiannon Giddens’ Banjo and Her Search for Truth
Greensboro, North Carolina native Rhiannon Giddens is reviving the music of the Appalachian south. From tunes like “Cornbread and Butterbeans,” “Riro’s House,” and “Ruby, Are you Mad at Your Man,” recorded with The Carolina Chocolate Drops to “Waterboy,” “Shake Sugaree,” and “Tomorrow is My Turn,” from her debut album of the same name, Giddens has revitalized traditional Appalachian voices for the millennials. She plays “Julie” on an 1850s replica banjo and belts out a ballad that transports the audience to the origins of African—Appalachian mountain music. Yes, it’s roots music, but new music too. Giddens is adding to the voices of history; she’s written in the slave’s voice in ballads that follow the style of the era. In “I’ll Wait for You in Tennessee,” Giddens prefaces the song with a little history lesson about the underground railroad and diaspora. In “Black is the Color,” and “Tomorrow is My Turn,” we hear echoes of another North Carolinian; Appalachian born Nina Simone. Giddens channels the spirit of voices from the near and distant past to share their songs with new audiences. In an interactive presentation of scholarship and music, we will explore the reaches of these songs and the importance of knowing their history.
