String Band Music
tagStarted 1880sPeak 1923–1935Last big hit still active
Located in 1 route
String band music is ensemble folk built from fiddle, banjo, guitar, bass, and sometimes mandolin, with dance pulse and tune interplay doing most of the expressive work.
History
Southern string bands formed from the encounter of African-derived banjo practice, European fiddle repertory, community dance traditions, and later commercial recording.
Defining artists
Essential listening
- Hell Broke Loose in Georgia — The Skillet LickersSpotifyYouTube
- Bill Morgan and His Gal — New Lost City RamblersSpotifyYouTube
- Snowden's Jig (Genuine Negro Jig) — Carolina Chocolate DropsSpotifyYouTube
- Old Molly Hare — Any Old Time String BandSpotifyYouTube
- Sail Away Ladies — Fuzzy Mountain String BandSpotifyYouTube
- Sandy Boys — Highwoods StringbandSpotifyYouTube
Sources
- Library of Congress
- Smithsonian Folkways
- NPS
- Britannica. citeturn16search0turn8search6turn7search1