Though Banjo Ben is an accomplished guitarist, his passion lies in teaching. Today he provides lessons in guitar, mandolin and banjo to students around the world.
Minstrel shows and their associated musical genres established the banjo as part of white American culture, yet preserved many Black folk tunes and an authentic Black playing style through this means.
Origins
Ben was raised on a family farm in Kilgore, Texas, with values that taught hard work combined with conservative principles. While initially interested in classical piano education, he quickly felt pulled toward banjo as it offered greater flexibility than piano could. Touring worldwide with some of today’s hottest artists only served to fuel his love for teaching even further – nothing brings greater satisfaction than witnessing student learning and progress!
The banjo is an African string instrument with roots in Gambia that has found a home in Western musical culture. It is closely related to other African instruments like the akonting, played by Jola tribe members from Gambia; the ngoni and xalam; these latter two being frequently played by highly respected griots who serve their local communities through praise singing performances.
Minstrel shows were responsible for popularizing banjo music during the 1800s in America. These shows featured white performers dressed up as blackface figures who mocked African-American culture through music and culture caricature, becoming immensely popular and propelling its popularity forward to unprecedented levels. As a result, banjo music reached unprecedented popularity levels.
The banjo has long been associated with rural, white cultures of the South and Appalachia; hence its stereotype as “hillbilly” music. But recently there has been an encouraging revival in Black string bands and banjo players through artists like Rhiannon Giddens and Hubby Jenkins who aim to reclaim that legacy; while its revival can be exciting and encouraging it’s important not to lose sight of its difficult history behind it.
Styles
Though its exact ancestor cannot be pinpointed with certainty, West African gourd-lutes such as the akonting may provide us with some clues. Similar in appearance and function to modern banjos, akontings feature long necks equipped with fretted fingerboards, three strings, and one shorter drone string. Gambian players use thumbs on unfretted strings while using plectra on fretted ones when playing their instrument.
Minstrel shows were instrumental in popularizing the banjo, yet their racism led to depictions of Black musicians in stereotypical ways that created an adverse association with this instrument. Even so, many songs played during these shows helped preserve and popularize Black folk tunes as well as particular styles of playing; many musicians of various types began transcribing these tunes into classical European notation notations for future performance.
At the turn of the 20th century, banjos became more closely linked with White American culture than ever before. As Black Southerners traveled north during what is known today as The Great Migration, their music often vanished behind in favor of jazz and blues, and electric guitars began replacing traditional banjos as accompaniment in jazz ensembles.
Current popularity of the banjo has led to renewed efforts to recover its history, led by artists such as Rhiannon Giddens and Hubby Jenkins of Carolina Chocolate Drops who have made important contributions. There are also contemporary artists using banjos such as Taylor Swift who uses one alongside guitar, piano, mandolin and acoustic bass; all part of a growing movement to fully comprehend and appreciate this instrument’s complex past.
Techniques
Banjo music often conjures images of white rural life or Beverly Hillbillies movies, with few people understanding its true history or heritage. Today, however, musicians like Rhiannon Giddens and Hubby Jenkins from Carolina Chocolate Drops are working to reclaim Black banjo history through producing great music that deserves repeat listens while simultaneously working to educate their audiences on its foundations as an American musical form.
The banjo can trace its ancestry back to West African gourd-lutes brought over with enslaved Africans as slaves to America. Instruments like the Akonting (Gambia) have long necks with short drone strings played with thumb and index finger similar to what you would find on a banjo. There are other instruments with similar sound and appearance such as Chinese Sanxian Lute-Lute, Japanese Samisen Lute as well as Persian Tar which all possess similarities with this instrument.
Minstrel shows spread throughout the United States, preserving many Black folk tunes and their respective styles of playing while at the same time depicting Black musicians with racist caricatures that perpetuated an image that the banjo was only suitable for white music and instruments.
Bill Monroe and Earl Scruggs were celebrated as innovators of bluegrass music during its revival during the 1950s, yet banjo playing was seen as solely white craft. Racially segregation in recording industry only reinforced this perception until civil rights movement of 1960s brought forth more accurate portrayal of banjo’s history and heritage.
Lessons
banjo ben is an internationally-recognized performer, composer, and educator renowned for touring worldwide with some of today’s hottest artists as well as performing on myriad albums, soundtracks and TV shows. However, his true passion lies within teaching: from video lessons with tablature at the bottom to his Tabledit play-along tablature and backing tracks that offer unmatched play-along tablature support online, his instructional method stands alone online – offering lessons for bluegrass banjo, guitar and mandolin lessons!
Before selecting a teacher, it’s essential to consider your goals. Is the primary aim to learn solos for songs, or to become an independent banjo player who can eventually work out back-up arrangements, melodies, timing and solid tones on their own? Make sure your teacher can meet these specific requirements.
Ben’s free trial offer is an ideal way to assess if his lessons are right for you. Check out his Worried Man Blues lesson or Cripple Creek to see if you can keep up and if so, his lessons could well be worth investing in! Best wishes!