Banjo Folk
tagStarted 19th centuryPeak 1923–1970Last big hit still active
Located in 1 route
Banjo folk foregrounds the five-string banjo as both rhythm engine and melodic voice, whether in clawhammer, frailing, older up-picking, or idiosyncratic regional approaches.
History
Because the banjo’s African origins met mountain repertory so deeply, banjo-centered folk sits near the heart of Southern vernacular sound.
Defining artists
Essential listening
- Country Blues — Dock BoggsSpotifyYouTube
- Little Birdie — Roscoe HolcombSpotifyYouTube
- Cuckoo Bird — Hobart SmithSpotifyYouTube
- I Wish I Was a Mole in the Ground — Bascom Lamar LunsfordSpotifyYouTube
- Keep My Skillet Good and Greasy — Uncle Dave MaconSpotifyYouTube
- John Brown's Dream — Fred CockerhamSpotifyYouTube
Sources
- Library of Congress
- Smithsonian Folkways
- NPS
- Britannica. citeturn16search0turn8search6turn7search1