--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I first heard the minstrel banjo - I…" description: "\"When I first heard the minstrel banjo - I played a gourd first - I almost lost my mind. I was like, Oh, my god. And then I went to Africa, to the Gambi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9e/rhiannon-giddens-6220_banjo_when-i-first-heard-the-minstrel-banjo-i_334379.jpg" --- # When I first heard the minstrel banjo - I played a gourd… ![“When I first heard the minstrel banjo - I played a gourd first - I almost lost my mind. I was like, Oh, my god. And then I went to Africa, to the Gambia, and studied the akonting, which is an ancestor of the banjo, and just that connection to me was just immense.” quote by Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9e/rhiannon-giddens-6220_banjo_when-i-first-heard-the-minstrel-banjo-i_334379.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9e/rhiannon-giddens-6220_banjo_when-i-first-heard-the-minstrel-banjo-i_334379.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9e/rhiannon-giddens-6220_banjo_when-i-first-heard-the-minstrel-banjo-i_334379.jpg) > “When I first heard the minstrel banjo - I played a gourd first - I almost lost my mind. I was like, Oh, my god. And then I went to Africa, to the Gambia, and studied the akonting, which is an ancestor of the banjo, and just that connection to me was just immense.” [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. The speaker describes a profound cultural revelation upon discovering the African roots of the banjo, linking personal identity to musical heritage. **In simple terms:** Finding deep personal meaning in musical origins. Key Takeaway Explore your own cultural roots. Themes identity heritage music discovery Mood wonder excitement reflective Type personal cultural inspirational When to use this quote - music education - travel - heritage festivals - instrument making Key Concepts ethnomusicology cultural continuity personal narrative Questions to Reflect On - How does knowing an instrument’s origin change your relationship to it? - What other traditions could you explore? A Different Perspective The emotional impact may fade without ongoing engagement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Connection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connection/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [To learn the history of the banjo is to recover the actual history of America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/to-learn-the-history-of-the-banjo-is-to-recover-the-actual-history-of/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [The banjo is my chosen instrument - it's what I write my music on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/the-banjo-is-my-chosen-instrument-it-s-what-i-write-my-music-on/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [There was such hostility to the idea of a banjo being a black instrument. It was co-opted by this white supremacist notion that old-time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/there-was-such-hostility-to-the-idea-of-a-banjo-being-a-black/) [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/) > [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/) > [Getting into the banjo and discovering that it was an African-American instrument, it totally turned on its head my idea of American music -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/getting-into-the-banjo-and-discovering-that-it-was-an-african/) [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/) > [Nothing says 'dropping out of society' like learning the banjo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-roth/nothing-says-dropping-out-of-society-like-learning-the-banjo/) Daniel Roth > [Earl Scruggs had this thing that it wasn't just the technique or even the instrument. It was him. There was this soulful quality that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-scruggs/earl-scruggs-had-this-thing-that-it-wasn-t-just-the-technique-or-even/) [Earl Scruggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-scruggs/) > [My family was always playing music; I always enjoyed it. My cousin, who is a little older than me, he started playing music, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vile/my-family-was-always-playing-music-i-always-enjoyed-it-my-cousin-who/) [Kurt Vile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vile/) > [When we moved back to the US, folk music was all the rage. So I traded in my banjo for a guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/when-we-moved-back-to-the-us-folk-music-was-all-the-rage-so-i-traded/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [Pete Seeger is a modest, unassuming, cheerful, and kind-natured man. He's a good folk singer, if you can stand folk singing. And he's such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/pete-seeger-is-a-modest-unassuming-cheerful-and-kind-natured-man-he-s/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [When I was very young my mother sang to me at bedtime and my dad would often play the banjo or fiddle in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-block/when-i-was-very-young-my-mother-sang-to-me-at-bedtime-and-my-dad/) Rory Block > [Id be happiest standing at the back, strumming my little banjo where no one could see me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-grint/id-be-happiest-standing-at-the-back-strumming-my-little-banjo-where/) [Rupert Grint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-grint/) ## 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/) > [History is my biggest teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/history-is-my-biggest-teacher/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) [Explore all 99 Rhiannon Giddens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) ## More Banjo quotes > [Id be happiest standing at the back, strumming my little banjo where no one could see me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-grint/id-be-happiest-standing-at-the-back-strumming-my-little-banjo-where/) [Rupert Grint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-grint/) > [When I was very young my mother sang to me at bedtime and my dad would often play the banjo or fiddle in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-block/when-i-was-very-young-my-mother-sang-to-me-at-bedtime-and-my-dad/) Rory Block > [Pete Seeger is a modest, unassuming, cheerful, and kind-natured man. He's a good folk singer, if you can stand folk singing. And he's such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/pete-seeger-is-a-modest-unassuming-cheerful-and-kind-natured-man-he-s/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [When we moved back to the US, folk music was all the rage. So I traded in my banjo for a guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/when-we-moved-back-to-the-us-folk-music-was-all-the-rage-so-i-traded/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [My family was always playing music; I always enjoyed it. My cousin, who is a little older than me, he started playing music, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vile/my-family-was-always-playing-music-i-always-enjoyed-it-my-cousin-who/) [Kurt Vile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vile/) > [Earl Scruggs had this thing that it wasn't just the technique or even the instrument. It was him. There was this soulful quality that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-scruggs/earl-scruggs-had-this-thing-that-it-wasn-t-just-the-technique-or-even/) [Earl Scruggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-scruggs/) > [Nothing says 'dropping out of society' like learning the banjo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-roth/nothing-says-dropping-out-of-society-like-learning-the-banjo/) Daniel Roth > [“banjo. A plucked, fretted lute where a thin skin diaphragm is stretched over a circular metal frame amplifying the sound of the strings. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-doherty/banjo-a-plucked-fretted-lute-where-a-thin-skin-diaphragm-is-stretched/) Liz Doherty > [A gentleman is someone who knows how to play the banjo and doesn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/a-gentleman-is-someone-who-knows-how-to-play-the-banjo-and-doesn-t/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [I've heard of people stopping their cars, having car wrecks, all kinds of things. But most of the banjo players I know had that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-scruggs/i-ve-heard-of-people-stopping-their-cars-having-car-wrecks-all-kinds/) [Earl Scruggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-scruggs/) > [There are a lot of chapters to the banjo's history. Part of it are the roots in Africa, where it's a more primitive instrument.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bela-fleck/there-are-a-lot-of-chapters-to-the-banjo-s-history-part-of-it-are-the/) [Bela Fleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bela-fleck/) > [My dad also plays a little banjo and guitar, my mom plays the mandolin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/page-mcconnell/my-dad-also-plays-a-little-banjo-and-guitar-my-mom-plays-the-mandolin/) [Page McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/page-mcconnell/) > [Whenever a big white man picks up a banjo, my cheeks tighten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/whenever-a-big-white-man-picks-up-a-banjo-my-cheeks-tighten/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [“There was talk of the Centaur being moved into the elephant cages to make room for a banjo-picking Minotaur. Surrendering his meager furnishings to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-roff/there-was-talk-of-the-centaur-being-moved-into-the-elephant-cages-to/) [Don Roff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-roff/) > [John Fahey, thought during his lifetime to be possibly more than a little crazy, was the author of some thirty albums of gnomically introverted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-smartt-bell/john-fahey-thought-during-his-lifetime-to-be-possibly-more-than-a/) [Madison Smartt Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-smartt-bell/) Browse all 104 Banjo quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I first heard the minstrel banjo - I played a gourd first - I almost lost my mind. I was like, Oh, my god. 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