Pulling Up The Rug - Reflections on the banjo and the story of its people
Pulling Up The Rug Reflections on the banjo and the story of its people Sule Heitner Dr. Christine Beckett March 27, 2021 Introduction The banjo has been called “America's Instrument”, and as such holds a unique place within the traditions of American music. In the cross-pollination of music and culture ubiquitous throughout the Americas, the banjo holds an esteemed place. Its influence on many musical innovations that followed cannot be underestimated. It's typically considered to be one of the earliest instruments invented in the Americas. It can be further argued that were it not for the banjo and the music it inspired, American music, and the industry that grew around it, would have evolved quite differently. The origins and history of the banjo have been obscured by complex forces, such as the politics of race, class and geography as well as time itself. Its murky past has led to much speculation, contradiction, false...