The Banjo Sings The Blues

When we hear a banjo, we can’t help but think of the blues.  It also remind us of Dixieland and country music, but most definitely the blues.  The blues and the banjo go hand in hand.  There are many different types of banjos and though they are the same instrument, their sound is unique.  The banjo itself is a unique and wonderful stringed instrument.

African Americans and Caucasians have shared a love and appreciation for the banjo.  African Americans have been playing it for nearly 300 years, and Caucasians since the turn of the century.  And the banjo sounds different in different regions.  If you hear the banjo sound in the Mississippi Delta, it will sound completely different than in Virginia.

The music and style of the banjo was really shaped in the late 1800s by African Americans.  One of the greatest banjo players during that time was Gus Cannon, or better known as “Banjo Joe”.  During 1927 Banjo Joe cut several recordings for Paramount In which his “frailing techniques”, slide playing, and roll patterns became incredibly famous.

The banjo music played back then had such a fluid sound.  It created a nostalgic feeling of friends gathering for a good ole fashioned jam session.  Today it can sound like just about anything, square dance, swing, bluegrass, and everything in between.  What a wonderful instrument and you just can’t miss the banjo sound.

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