Rhiannon Giddens
| Rhiannon Giddens | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Background information | |
| Born |
February 21, 1977 Greensboro, North Carolina, United States |
| Genres | Folk, bluegrass, country, gospel, blues, jazz, soul, R&B, Celtic, Americana |
| Instruments | Vocals, violin, banjo |
| Years active | 2005–present |
| Labels | Music Maker, Nonesuch |
| Associated acts | Carolina Chocolate Drops, The New Basement Tapes, NC Music Love Army |
| Website | rhiannongiddens |
Rhiannon Giddens (born February 21, 1977) is an American musician. She is known as the lead singer, violinist, banjo player and a founding member of the Grammy-winningcountry, blues and old-time music band Carolina Chocolate Drops. She is a native of Greensboro, North Carolina and a 2000 graduate of Oberlin Conservatory where she studied opera. In addition to her work with the Drops, Giddens has released two solo albums: Tomorrow Is My Turn (2015) and Freedom Highway (2017).
In 2005, Giddens, who at that time was spending time competing in Scottish music competitions, attended the Black Banjo Then and Now Gathering, in Boone, North Carolina. There she met Dom Flemons and Sule Greg Wilson. The three started playing together professionally as a "postmodern string band", Sankofa Strings. During that same time period, Giddens was also a regular caller at local contra dances and featured in a Celtic music band called Gaelwynd. Later in 2005, after both Gaelwynd and Sankofa Strings had released CD albums, Giddens and Flemons teamed up with other musicians and expanded the Sankofa Strings sound into what was to become the Grammy winning Carolina Chocolate Drops.
In 2007, Giddens contributed fiddle, banjo, "flat-footin'" dancing and additional vocals to Talitha MacKenzie's album Indian Summer.
Performing as a soprano, Giddens and mezzo-soprano Cheryse McLeod Lewis formed a duo called Eleganza to release a CD in 2009. Because I Knew You... consists of classical, spirituals, theater, and movie music. Giddens and Lewis were middle school classmates who reconnected after college while working in the same office. The friends started singing together in 2003, but did not begin recording until 2008.
As of November 12, 2013, Giddens is now the only original member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops still an active member of the group.
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