White Nights

[Beringia]

20. I took lessons of banjo

at Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, a long-time institution, and all the teachers mention it being from Africa. I guess some old-time black musicians played it, but then it became associated with Appalachia.

This may be too much information, but anyway.

“Understand one thing about the banjo: Until the ’60s, the banjo was still linked with ignorant white country people—Appalachian hillbillies,” Taylor says emphatically. “There was still a heavy bad stereotype for the banjo. It was like, The Beverly Hillbillies.” (At this point, Taylor starts mimicking the plunking banjo of the show’s theme song.)

Taylor’s revelation about the black roots of the instrument inspired a passion project that took years to come to fruition. Using his growing influence as a musician, Taylor brought together blues luminaries such as Guy Davis, Corey Harris, Alvin Youngblood Hart, and Keb’ Mo’ for the 2008 album, Recapturing the Banjo.

“I was just wanted to show that black people don’t play the banjo like white people,“ explains Taylor. “We really have a distinct style. I wanted it to be modern and old.”

http://www.popmatters.com/feature/108569-recapturing-the-black-banjo-an-interview-with-otis-taylor/