--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Getting into the banjo and discovering…" description: "\"Getting into the banjo and discovering that it was an African-American instrument, it totally turned on its head my idea of American music - and then, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02a/rhiannon-giddens-6220_american_getting-into-the-banjo-and-discovering-t_1029435.jpg" --- # Getting into the banjo and discovering that it was an… ![“Getting into the banjo and discovering that it was an African-American instrument, it totally turned on its head my idea of American music - and then, through that, American history.” quote by Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02a/rhiannon-giddens-6220_american_getting-into-the-banjo-and-discovering-t_1029435.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02a/rhiannon-giddens-6220_american_getting-into-the-banjo-and-discovering-t_1029435.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02a/rhiannon-giddens-6220_american_getting-into-the-banjo-and-discovering-t_1029435.jpg) > “Getting into the banjo and discovering that it was an African-American instrument, it totally turned on its head my idea of American music - and then, through that, American history.” [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Discovering the banjo’s African roots reshapes perceptions of American music and its history. **In simple terms:** Banjo origins change view of US music. Key Takeaway Explore cultural origins of instruments. Themes history music identity cultural exchange Mood curious inspired Type educational historical When to use this quote - music education - cultural festivals - museum exhibits Key Concepts ethnomusicology diaspora heritage Questions to Reflect On - How does instrument origin affect genre perception? - What other instruments have hidden histories? A Different Perspective Simplifying complex histories can overlook nuances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-history/) [American music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-music/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-making/) ## Related quotes > [The banjo is truly an American instrument, and it captures something about our past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/the-banjo-is-truly-an-american-instrument-and-it-captures-something/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [It's a really unfair world because life is, where I am; all day long we listen to American music. So I don't see why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-makeba/it-s-a-really-unfair-world-because-life-is-where-i-am-all-day-long-we/) [Miriam Makeba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-makeba/) > [It's like there's the rest of the world, and then there's America. Part of the reason I would really love continue to making music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-odell/it-s-like-there-s-the-rest-of-the-world-and-then-there-s-america-part/) [Tom Odell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-odell/) > [There was always a lot of American music in England until, obviously when the Beatles came around, then there was a shift towards English…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-deacon/there-was-always-a-lot-of-american-music-in-england-until-obviously/) [John Deacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-deacon/) > [Irving Berlin has no place in American music -- he is American music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kern/irving-berlin-has-no-place-in-american-music-he-is-american-music/) [Jerome Kern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kern/) > [My love for American music and American movies is from an early age. I was 10 or 11 when I heard Fats Domino and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mclagan/my-love-for-american-music-and-american-movies-is-from-an-early-age-i/) [Ian McLagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mclagan/) > [I wanna show that gospel, country, blues, rhythm and blues, jazz, rock 'n' roll are all just really one thing. Those are the American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etta-james/i-wanna-show-that-gospel-country-blues-rhythm-and-blues-jazz-rock-n/) [Etta James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etta-james/) > [If you met my dad, I think a lot of things would be put to rest. Because my pops is a pretty silly guy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-san/if-you-met-my-dad-i-think-a-lot-of-things-would-be-put-to-rest/) [Eric San](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-san/) > [Irving Berlin has no place in American music. He is American music. Emotionally, he honestly absorbs the vibrations emanating from the people, manners and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kern/irving-berlin-has-no-place-in-american-music-he-is-american-music-2/) [Jerome Kern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kern/) > [Most of the best music in American history was made by people with no options.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-brock/most-of-the-best-music-in-american-history-was-made-by-people-with-no/) [Isaac Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-brock/) > [I'll talk about the banjo all day long and the history of minstrel shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/i-ll-talk-about-the-banjo-all-day-long-and-the-history-of-minstrel/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [I play a replica of a banjo from the 1950s. It was the first commercial-style banjo in the United States so it's the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/i-play-a-replica-of-a-banjo-from-the-1950s-it-was-the-first/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [Well, you know, the original banjos were all handmade instruments. Gourd - it would be made with gourds and whatever, you know, materials would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/well-you-know-the-original-banjos-were-all-handmade-instruments-gourd/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [It's really funny how I've come round to classical music around the back door with my banjo in my hand, and I love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/it-s-really-funny-how-i-ve-come-round-to-classical-music-around-the/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [When I first heard the minstrel banjo - I played a gourd first - I almost lost my mind. I was like, Oh, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/when-i-first-heard-the-minstrel-banjo-i-played-a-gourd-first-i-almost/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) ## More by Rhiannon Giddens > [My work as a whole is about excavating and shining a light on pieces of history that not only need to be seen and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/my-work-as-a-whole-is-about-excavating-and-shining-a-light-on-pieces/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [I love the U.K. folk scene. In the States, nobody knows what to do with me. There's still a very narrow definition of Americana.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/i-love-the-u-k-folk-scene-in-the-states-nobody-knows-what-to-do-with/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [For me the bare feet are grounding. I'm connected to the Earth in a way that I cannot be any other way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/for-me-the-bare-feet-are-grounding-i-m-connected-to-the-earth-in-a/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [We have been fed so many false narratives, many of them racialized to deliberately feed a racist agenda. It's important to address and dig…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/we-have-been-fed-so-many-false-narratives-many-of-them-racialized-to/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [I had this dream like years ago. I had this dream - I wanted to be in an all-black string band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/i-had-this-dream-like-years-ago-i-had-this-dream-i-wanted-to-be-in-an/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [I'm not an urban black person. I'm a country black person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/i-m-not-an-urban-black-person-i-m-a-country-black-person/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [To sit in my concert and be uncomfortable is brave. Because you could always leave, you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/to-sit-in-my-concert-and-be-uncomfortable-is-brave-because-you-could/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [I'm really interested in history and when I looked into the settlers who came to my home state, North Carolina, I found that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/i-m-really-interested-in-history-and-when-i-looked-into-the-settlers/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [That was the special thing about the Carolina Chocolate Drops. We didn't want to do music full-time. We weren't looking to get rich, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/that-was-the-special-thing-about-the-carolina-chocolate-drops-we-didn/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [There is a black folk music audience. They're just very small.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/there-is-a-black-folk-music-audience-they-re-just-very-small/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [When I got into college, I got into operatic vocalists, like Leontyne Price.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/when-i-got-into-college-i-got-into-operatic-vocalists-like-leontyne/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [People seem ready for a more in-depth idea of folk music, culture and history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/people-seem-ready-for-a-more-in-depth-idea-of-folk-music-culture-and/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [Know thy history. Let it horrify you; let it inspire you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/know-thy-history-let-it-horrify-you-let-it-inspire-you/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [Othering people is something that humans have done for ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/othering-people-is-something-that-humans-have-done-for-ever/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [When I first heard the minstrel banjo - I played a gourd first - I almost lost my mind. I was like, Oh, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/when-i-first-heard-the-minstrel-banjo-i-played-a-gourd-first-i-almost/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) [Explore all 99 Rhiannon Giddens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) ## More American quotes > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I have fallen in love with American names, the sharp names that never get fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-american-names-the-sharp-names-that-never/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/) [Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in a tremendous investment to support millions of workers without a paycheck and behind on bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/congress-passed-the-american-rescue-plan-act-in-a-tremendous/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and employ almost half of the working population. Yet because of their size, they rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-lipinski/small-businesses-are-the-backbone-of-the-american-economy-and-employ/) [Dan Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-lipinski/) > [Although I write in English, and despite the fact that I'm from America, I consider myself an Armenian writer. The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/firefighters-and-rescue-workers-are-american-superheroes/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. 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But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) Browse all 7,717 American quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Getting into the banjo and discovering that it was an African-American instrument, it totally turned on its head my idea of American music - and then, through that, American history.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rhiannon Giddens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/getting-into-the-banjo-and-discovering-that-it-was-an-african/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/getting-into-the-banjo-and-discovering-that-it-was-an-african/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02a/rhiannon-giddens-6220_american_getting-into-the-banjo-and-discovering-t_1029435.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02a/rhiannon-giddens-6220_american_getting-into-the-banjo-and-discovering-t_1029435.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02a/rhiannon-giddens-6220_american_getting-into-the-banjo-and-discovering-t_1029435.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Getting into the banjo and discovering that it was an African-American instrument, it totally turned on its…” — Rhiannon Giddens", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Rhiannon Giddens", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Getting into the banjo and discovering...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/getting-into-the-banjo-and-discovering-that-it-was-an-african/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/getting-into-the-banjo-and-discovering-that-it-was-an-african/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```