Rhiannon Giddens

Examines the impact of how artists like Beyoncé are challenging the country music status quo and how Black artists in Nashville have been laying the foundation for this transformation for some time.

For nearly 50 years, millions of fans around the world have imagined and discussed the conditions and atmosphere under which Bob Dylan’s strange and wonderful Basement Tapes were created. Only Bob Dylan himself and the remaining members from his backing ensemble that became The Band - know the stories behind the unforeseen circumstances and unique musical chemistry that resulted in a seismic shift in American Music and a body of work that continues to richly influence the artistry of contemporary musicians.

A comprehensive look at a quintessential American musical instrument, the banjo, from its African roots to contemporary jazz and into the 21st century.