--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We're not here as a black band playing…" description: "\"We're not here as a black band playing white string band music. You know, we play stuff in the Appalachians, we play stuff in the white community, but ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cab/rhiannon-giddens-6220_band_we-re-not-here-as-a-black-band-playing-w_1047130.jpg" --- # We're not here as a black band playing white string band… ![“We're not here as a black band playing white string band music. You know, we play stuff in the Appalachians, we play stuff in the white community, but we really highlight the black community's music.” quote by Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cab/rhiannon-giddens-6220_band_we-re-not-here-as-a-black-band-playing-w_1047130.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cab/rhiannon-giddens-6220_band_we-re-not-here-as-a-black-band-playing-w_1047130.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cab/rhiannon-giddens-6220_band_we-re-not-here-as-a-black-band-playing-w_1047130.jpg) > “We're not here as a black band playing white string band music. You know, we play stuff in the Appalachians, we play stuff in the white community, but we really highlight the black community's music.” [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. Black musicians reinterpret traditionally white genres, reclaiming cultural space and highlighting diverse roots. **In simple terms:** Black artists play music beyond stereotypical expectations. Key Takeaway Celebrate cross‑cultural musical exchange. Themes music identity heritage Mood proud hopeful Type cultural musical When to use this quote - concert programming - music education - community festivals Key Concepts cultural appropriation genre fluidity historical context Questions to Reflect On - How can artists honor origins while innovating? - What audiences benefit from such fusion? A Different Perspective Risk of tokenism if not authentic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Band](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/band/) [Band Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/band-music/) [Band Playing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/band-playing-256441/) [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Black community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-community/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Community Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community-music-1738944/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-making/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [String Band](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/string-band-587207/) [White Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-community-928917/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [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/) > [We were raised in the black community not to trust the police, and I believe, in the white community, they were raised to actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-b-vance/we-were-raised-in-the-black-community-not-to-trust-the-police-and-i/) [Courtney B. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-b-vance/) > [The black community now in many ways divided itself the way the larger white community divides itself, over class issues. And that race is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-smith/the-black-community-now-in-many-ways-divided-itself-the-way-the/) [Ed Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-smith/) > [These events are swirling around them. In the white community, people felt like they had no control over their neighborhoods, their destiny. In the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/these-events-are-swirling-around-them-in-the-white-community-people/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [In Africa, music is for everything, Music was originally used for community. That was what music was for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-jal/in-africa-music-is-for-everything-music-was-originally-used-for/) [Emmanuel Jal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-jal/) > [You create a community with music, not just at concerts but by talking about it with your friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/you-create-a-community-with-music-not-just-at-concerts-but-by-talking/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [House music for me was incredible. It was a huge part of my growing up and developing into a young adult because I found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gok-wan/house-music-for-me-was-incredible-it-was-a-huge-part-of-my-growing-up/) [Gok Wan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gok-wan/) > [I love the string band. I love the sound of it, the possibilities of it, I love the physical sensation of creating and performing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-thile/i-love-the-string-band-i-love-the-sound-of-it-the-possibilities-of-it/) [Chris Thile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-thile/) > [Hogslop is the real deal groovilicious honkin old-time string band. Guaranteed old-time awesomeness with these fellas around!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-washburn/hogslop-is-the-real-deal-groovilicious-honkin-old-time-string-band/) [Abigail Washburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-washburn/) > [The fact that I'm a fifth of Punch Brothers... that's lucky for me because I feel like I get to operate in the context…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-thile/the-fact-that-i-m-a-fifth-of-punch-brothers-that-s-lucky-for-me/) [Chris Thile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-thile/) > [At 10 years old, I was in my church band, playing in front of a couple thousand people every week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bazzi/at-10-years-old-i-was-in-my-church-band-playing-in-front-of-a-couple/) [Bazzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bazzi/) > [The music as a whole is selfish, but the musicians aren't," "The song may go on forever but it's not about competition within the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-homme/the-music-as-a-whole-is-selfish-but-the-musicians-aren-t-the-song-may/) [Joshua Homme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-homme/) > [We started out as a bar band. We were sometimes playing in front of 20 people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/we-started-out-as-a-bar-band-we-were-sometimes-playing-in-front-of-20/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [That's what Joe Don Rooney and I do. He plays guitar and I play bass - and there's no reason to call it a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/that-s-what-joe-don-rooney-and-i-do-he-plays-guitar-and-i-play-bass/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) ## 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 Band quotes > [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [There is something to be said though when you have 4 or 5 guys playing with no net, there is a sense of urgency,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-mendoza/there-is-something-to-be-said-though-when-you-have-4-or-5-guys/) [Marco Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-mendoza/) > [My Nirvana experience was much different than the other three guys. For me, it was really new and exciting. I was just a guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-smear/my-nirvana-experience-was-much-different-than-the-other-three-guys/) [Pat Smear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-smear/) > [I think my music has always been a mixture, depending on whom I'm working with - what band, what musicians, what producer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matisyahu/i-think-my-music-has-always-been-a-mixture-depending-on-whom-i-m/) [Matisyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matisyahu/) > [As you'll never hear the thing again, my boy, why not throw in a couple of brass bands?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-beecham/as-you-ll-never-hear-the-thing-again-my-boy-why-not-throw-in-a-couple/) [Thomas Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-beecham/) > [I've always made sure that I tour with bands that people aren't expecting me to tour with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayer-hawthorne/i-ve-always-made-sure-that-i-tour-with-bands-that-people-aren-t/) [Mayer Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayer-hawthorne/) > [There is more to me than just having been in the Runaways. And even though I'm really, really proud of what the band accomplished,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-fuchs/there-is-more-to-me-than-just-having-been-in-the-runaways-and-even/) [Jackie Fuchs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-fuchs/) > [I like the bad-boy types. Generally the guy I'm attracted to is the guy in the club with all the tattoos and nail polish.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/i-like-the-bad-boy-types-generally-the-guy-i-m-attracted-to-is-the/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [Bass guitar is the engine of the band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzi-quatro/bass-guitar-is-the-engine-of-the-band/) [Suzi Quatro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzi-quatro/) > [I just became accustomed to being all the members of the band. That was something that was really exciting to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-collier/i-just-became-accustomed-to-being-all-the-members-of-the-band-that/) [Jacob Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-collier/) > [I guess because we're essentially a two-man band, we're attracting Wham's crowd. But Wham! are more of a businessman's band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-smith/i-guess-because-we-re-essentially-a-two-man-band-we-re-attracting/) [Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) > [I'm about as privileged as you can get. I'm a white, male, heterosexual front man of a rock band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-reynolds/i-m-about-as-privileged-as-you-can-get-i-m-a-white-male-heterosexual/) [Dan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-reynolds/) > [I'd been playing in bands for something like seven years at this point. And we were always trying to get ahead, trying to rehearse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aerosmith/i-d-been-playing-in-bands-for-something-like-seven-years-at-this/) [Aerosmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aerosmith/) > [Metallica's the only band i've ever been in. I'm not sure that when it ends in five, ten years, I'm going to put an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lars-ulrich/metallica-s-the-only-band-i-ve-ever-been-in-i-m-not-sure-that-when-it/) [Lars Ulrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lars-ulrich/) [Browse all 6,497 Band quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/band/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We're not here as a black band playing white string band music. 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