Some Banjo History

This is by no means a complete history of the banjo but here are some cool facts about the banjo along with some cool players and some good examples of banjo playing. At the bottom I will list my resources I used to write this brief history. 

Most people don’t know that banjos have a much deeper history than the bluegrass banjo we all know today. Banjos and similar instruments made out of a drum head attached to a neck with strings have existed for centuries. They were called many different names and were originally brought to the Americas by slaves and then travelled to Europe and other places from there. The banjo’s history has been traced all the way to West Africa where there are many similar instruments, like the ngoni, that are still played today. Theo original banjos were made with skin stretched over a gourd and used 3 or 4 gut strings fretted on a neck attached to the gourd.

Throughout the banjo’s evolution in America it has had various levels of popularity, sometimes being one of the most popular instruments. It was made popular in Minstrel shows and then later in all brands of folk music, and acquired a 5th string that was added to the top of the neck and tuned higher than the rest of the strings, usually to the key the banjo is tuned to. In the rural parts of eastern United States people like Earl Scruggs and Ralph Stanley took to playing with picks on their thumb, pointer and middle fingers on this centuries old instrument from Africa and invented one of the most original styles of music ever in bluegrass. Bluegrass has country style combined with some of the blues and some traditional Irish folk along old time mountain string band music. 

Today the banjo is still evolving in the hands of players like Bela Fleck, Bill Evans and Billy Failing. Bela Fleck has made recordings of everything from jazz to classical on the banjo and even went as far as bringing the banjo back to Africa for a group of field recordings documented in his inspirational and informative film called “Throw Down Your Heart.”  Then you have bands like Mumford and Sons from England making banjo popular to the young generation with their pop sounds. Young bluegrass pickers like Billy Failing have been picking up a storm on the new-grass scene these last couple years and folks like Bill Evans make all kinds of recordings of the traditional sound.. That doesn’t even scratch the surface of the people making cool music on this historic instrument. I think this video of Mr. Bill Evans explaining the history of the banjo really says all you need to know:

The banjo continues to evolve today and bands like Mumford and Sons have even brought it back into the mainstream spotlight and the radio airwaves. I hope this history was informative and maybe inspires you to check out some more banjo music. Here are a couple more banjo videos I think are worthy of mention:

The Official trailer for Bela Fleck’s “Throw Down Your Heart” Film.

Earl Scruggs of Flatt and Scruggs and Ralph Stanley of the Stanley Brothers below; both pickin’ in the “three-finger” style created by Earl.

Steve Martin is one of people keeping the banjo in the spotlight and here is a perfect example with him and the Steep Canyon Rangers from a Tiny Desk Concert.

Mumford and Sons who have brought the banjo to a whole new generation of listeners. 

And last but not least an amazing video of Bela Fleck playing Bach’s “Partita No. 1003” into “Sinister Minister.” 

 

 

Resources

Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. “banjo.” Encyclopedia Britannica, September 1, 2021. https://www.britannica.com/art/banjo-musical-instrument.

“Banjo History Notes (I).” Banjos.com. Accessed May 11, 2022. https://www.banjos.com/banjo-history-notes-i/.

“The Banjos Roots, Reconsidered.” NPR’s All Things Considered. Accessed May 11, 2022. https://www.npr.org/2011/08/23/139880625/the-banjos-roots-reconsidered.

“So You Think You Know the Banjo?” The Bitter Southerner Website. Accessed May 11, 2022. https://bittersoutherner.com/history-of-the-banjo#.YntStJPMJIs.

Reese, Bill. “Thumbnail History of the Banjo.” Bluegrass Banjo.com. http://bluegrassbanjo.org/banhist.html.

Evans, Bill. “Bill Evans Tells the History of the Banjo in 14 Minutes.” Fretboard Journal Youtube Channel. May 6, 2013. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhcBA0WRm88.

“Throw Down Your Heart” trailer. Cinedigm Youtube Channel. October 20, 2009. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axbe1LGL8zE.

“Steve Martin and Steep Canyon Rangers NPR Tiny Desk Concert.” NPR Music Youtube Channel. Sept. 25, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyHipL45pwM.

“Mumford and Sons ‘Hopeless Wanderer.'” Mumford and Sons Youtube Channel. August 4, 2013. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rId6PKlDXeU.