The Banjo, Yesterday and Today

Typically when you think of banjo music, you think of Dixie, Country,and of course, the Blues. Banjo and the Blues have a very strong connection but the interesting thing is that the type of Blues played is influenced by various areas of the country. Each offers a unique soundeven though it all comes from the same instrument. The banjo is a veryspecial instrument that creates a sound like none other.

African Americans have been playing the banjo and the fiddle for nearly 300 years. Caucasians also have been playing it since the late 1800s and early 1900s, and both races shared their strumming style and appreciation for the banjo. Region also influences how the music sounds. If you hear it played in the Mississippi Delta, then travel to Virginia Piedmont, you may not know it’s the same instrument.

In the early 19th century black musicians were responsible for the way the banjo sounded. Gus Cannon, more commonly known as “Banjo Joe” was a very popular player. His accompanist was often a man named Blind Blake. In 1927 “Banjo Joe” made some records for the Paramount label. His techniques soon were celebrated. Among them were “frailing”, a method still studied, slide banjo, and rolling.

These days you hear banjos in all types of music including square dance, swing, bluegrass, and others. The older music of the early 19th century was more down-home. It’s reminiscent of close friends getting together to jam. The older music was more colorful with unusual beats and rhythm. Today, we still enjoy the banjo, but in general the sound is stiffer. Enthusiasts still miss Allen Shelton and some other old time players who really let it rip!

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Cordelia Tremont provides a range of resources at her web site: Red Banjo, where you will find information about different types ofbanjo. Why not take a look: www.redbanjo.com

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