The Banjo’s Backstory

The banjo gets a bum rap. A staple of American country music, its bright tone and rhythmic clangor threaten to overwhelm musical gatherings of other, milder string-band instruments, such as guitar, mandolin, bass and fiddle. This piercing, metallic quality has made it the butt of a host of musicians’ jokes (“What’s the difference between a banjo and a chainsaw?” “A chainsaw has a dynamic range”). In her compelling, thoroughly researched history, Kristina R. Gaddy reveals a different instrument entirely, one intimately rooted in the African diaspora and capable of expressing flights of sorrow and joy.

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