There is not a single instrument in the United States that is as quintessentially American as the banjo is. This guitar like instrument has a round frame and either four, five or six strings. It originated in Africa, and was brought to the American Colonies with the arrival of African slaves from 1620 onwards. Soon the instrument could be heard during slave gatherings at plantations all along the Southern states of the US.
Banjos were introduced to a wider non-black audience through Minstrel Shows. Minstrel Shows started in the 1830's. They were a ridiculous attempt to depict the lives of African American slaves who lived on plantations in the South. White actors painted their faces black and acted like dumb-witted slaves that did nothing all day but steel food, do silly things and play music on their banjo. One of the most popular songs that came from one of these Minstrel Show's was Stephen Foster's 1847 hit "Oh Susannah". The song was later covered by such greats as Neil Young, the Byrds, and James Taylor.
Minstrel Shows were very popular from the 1830's until the late 1890's, and the banjo's popularity grew with it. Soon not only African slaves played the instrument, but many white Americans did too. The banjo could be heard in several musical styles from blues, to country and folk music, as it was played all throughout the US.
Earl Scruggs was born in 1924 in Carolina, and started started playing the banjo at a young age. He developed his own three finger picking style and in 1945 was discovered by the founder of Bluegrass music, Bill Monroe. Ever since Bill Monroe added Earl Scrugss to his band, the banjo became an indispensable part of Bluegrass music. Only three years later, Earl Scruggs and Lester Flatt left Monroe's Bluegrass Boys, to start their own band. The duo soon became quite popular and even landed a spot on the Grand Ole Opry. Below you can hear them at the Opry, performing one of their classics "Foggy Mountain Breakdown".
Earl Scruggs was born in 1924 in Carolina, and started started playing the banjo at a young age. He developed his own three finger picking style and in 1945 was discovered by the founder of Bluegrass music, Bill Monroe. Ever since Bill Monroe added Earl Scrugss to his band, the banjo became an indispensable part of Bluegrass music. Only three years later, Earl Scruggs and Lester Flatt left Monroe's Bluegrass Boys, to start their own band. The duo soon became quite popular and even landed a spot on the Grand Ole Opry. Below you can hear them at the Opry, performing one of their classics "Foggy Mountain Breakdown".
In the 1950's the banjo again became an important part of folk music. It was reintroduced by Pete Seeger, the father of folk, who himself was an avid banjo player and wrote a popular book on "How to Play the 5-String Banjo". The book thought many young musicians at the time how to play this instrument, and the banjo soon found itself in another revival. Pete Seeger is 93 today, and he can still be heard playing his instrument in folk festivals all throughout the US. Below you can watch Seeger give a short history lesson on this beautiful instrument.
