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Banjo music is a genre of music that consists exclusively, or primarily of, the banjo. Banjo music can be played as a solo, or it can be played with a band. Banjo music can be played with all types of banjos (four, five, or six string).
Unlike most other solo music pieces played by various instruments, banjo music does not only consist of a melody, but it also utilizes
History
Banjo music originated informally as a form of African folk music over a hundred years ago probably in the sub-Saharan region. When the Americans forced African slaves to work on the plantations, banjo music followed them, and stayed primarily a form of African folk music, up to the 1800s. It was during this time that the banjo in all probability was first introduced toIreland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
, when the Virginia Minstrels
The Virginia Minstrels or Virginia Serenaders was a group of 19th-century American entertainers who helped invent the entertainment form known as the minstrel show. Led by Dan Emmett, the original lineup consisted of Emmett, Billy Whitlock, ...
toured in England, Ireland and France in 1843, 1844 and 1845. With his minstrel shows, Joel Walker Sweeney
Joel Walker Sweeney (1810 – October 29, 1860), also known as Joe Sweeney, was an American musician and early blackface minstrel performer. He is known for popularizing the playing of the banjo and has often been credited with advancing the p ...
is credited with extending the popularity of the banjo as well as its music to an enormous audience all over the United States and Europe.
With the spread of popularity of the banjo, it influenced different kinds of music - it gave rise to mountain string bands, and even helped give a foundation for blues music. The occurrences of hootenannies
A hootenanny is a party involving music in the United States. It is particularly associated with folk music.
Etymology Placeholder
Hootenanny is an Appalachian colloquialism that was used in the early twentieth century U.S. as a placeholder na ...
gave a house to banjo music, where it made its place in American folk music and bluegrass. American television shows such as ''Hee Haw
''Hee Haw'' is an American television variety show featuring country music and humor with the fictional rural "Kornfield Kounty" as the backdrop. It aired first-run on CBS from 1969 to 1971, in syndication from 1971 to 1993, and on TNN from 1 ...
'' have made banjo music all the more popular, and more a part of American culture.
Distinctives
Unlike most other solo music pieces played by various instruments, banjo music does not only consist of a melody, but it also utilizes drone
Drone most commonly refers to:
* Drone (bee), a male bee, from an unfertilized egg
* Unmanned aerial vehicle
* Unmanned surface vehicle, watercraft
* Unmanned underwater vehicle or underwater drone
Drone, drones or The Drones may also refer to:
...
notes to make the music seem like it is being played by more than one instrument. While very basic compositions will consist of only melodies, more complicated pieces will have multiple drone notes, usually organized in a predictable roll pattern. Banjo music tends to be very lively and upbeat, as the fast-occurring drone notes tend to give the illusion that a song is being played quite fast. Banjo music is not usually amplified (except by aid of a microphone), as the banjo's resonator
A resonator is a device or system that exhibits resonance or resonant behavior. That is, it naturally oscillates with greater amplitude at some frequencies, called resonant frequencies, than at other frequencies. The oscillations in a resonator ...
allows it to be played quite loud.
Most popular banjo music songs
Popular banjo music pieces include:http://banjoblogger.com/?p=125 "THE TOP TEN BLUEGRASS BANJO SONGS" RETRIEVED 8/12/2013 * Dueling Banjos * Foggy Mountain Breakdown * Cripple Creek * Blackberry Blossom * Cotton Eyed Joe * I’ll Fly Away * Wildwood FlowerNotable names in banjo music
* Eddie Peabody was the greatest proponent of the plectrum banjo in the early to mid twentieth century. Prominent contemporary plectrum players includeCynthia Sayer
Cynthia Nan Sayer (born May 20, 1962) is an American jazz banjoist, singer and a founding member of Woody Allen's New Orleans Jazz Band.
Career
A native of Waltham, Massachusetts, Sayer spent her early childhood in Wayland, Massachusetts and th ...
.
* Earl Scruggs was the greatest three-finger picker of the mid to late twentieth century, and continued to play into the early 21st century.
* Roy Clark played banjo on the show ''Hee Haw
''Hee Haw'' is an American television variety show featuring country music and humor with the fictional rural "Kornfield Kounty" as the backdrop. It aired first-run on CBS from 1969 to 1971, in syndication from 1971 to 1993, and on TNN from 1 ...
'', and made it quite popular in the realm of American music.
See also
* Fret *List of banjo players
This article comprises two separate lists. The first consists of primary banjo players and the second of celebrities that also play the banjo.
Primary banjo players
A listing of notable musicians who play the banjo as a major part of thei ...
* List of National Four-String Banjo Hall of Fame members
The American Banjo Museum Hall of Fame, formerly known as the National Four-String Banjo Hall of Fame, recognizes musicians. bands, or companies that have made a distinct contribution to banjo performance, education, manufacturing, and towards prom ...
References
{{Reflist Banjo family instruments Bluegrass music American folk music Canadian folk music