When I saw this week’s prompt and learned that Rhiannon Giddens’ birthday is in February (b. 2/21/77,) she was my choice. I originally wrote a post on her for 2022’s Women Music March, then used the post again for Glyn’s Mixed Music Bag. Looking again for any updates I see Rhiannon is a woman on the move with music.
Rhiannon is an American musician. She was a founding member of the country, blues and old-time music band Carolina Chocolate Drops, where she was the lead singer, fiddle player, and banjo player.
Giddens was born in Greensboro, NC, an alumna of the NC School of Science and Mathematics, and is a 2000 graduate of Oberlin Conservatory at Oberlin College, where she studied opera.
In addition to her work with the Grammy-winning Carolina Chocolate Drops, Giddens has released six solo studio albums, 2 live albums, 2 EPs, and 5 singles. Of those, two of them are collaborations with Italian multi-instrumentalist Francesco Turrisi.She appears in the Smithsonian Folkways collection documenting Mike Seeger’s final trip through Appalachia in 2009, Just Around The Bend: Survival and Revival in Southern Banjo Styles – Mike Seeger’s Last Documentary (2019.)
In 2014, she participated in the T Bone Burnett-produced project titled The New Basement Tapes along with several other musicians, which set a series of recently discovered Bob Dylan lyrics to newly composed music. The resulting album, Lost on the River: The New Basement Tapes, was a top-40 Billboard album.
In 2005, Giddens, who at that time was spending time competing in Scottish music competitions (specializing in the Gaelic lilting tradition, also known as mouth music,) 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.
Discography and Bibliography:
Albums with The Carolina Chocolate Drops = 7
Albums with Gaelwynd = 2
Album as a Member of The New Basement Tapes = 1
Album as a Member of Our Native Daughters = 1
Albums with Silkroad Ensemble = 2
Albums of Additional collaborations = 11
Other significant appearances (lead, duet, trio, featured solo) = 34
Awards and Nominations:
between 2010 and 2022, Giddens has been nominated and/or won no less than 31
In 2022, Rhiannon won a Grammy for Best Folk Album, “They’re Calling Me Home“
In 2023, she won a Jury Award from Society of Composers and Lyricists AND a Pulitzer Prize for “Omar“
In 2026, she has been nominated for Best Folk Album, “What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow” (pending)
Official website: here
Source: wikipedia
The first song I think of when I think of Rhiannon is when she and the Carolina Chocolate Drops jammed with The Chieftains on what has become one of my cherished albums. “Voice of Ages” has The Chieftains teaming up with some of the best musicians out there today.
Rhiannon will be traveling to 8 U.S. cities this March with Silkroad Ensemble. Here is a performance with them:
Jim Adams is the host of Song Lyric Sunday. This week he wanted us to find a song by a person born in February.
Tao Talk 
She is a great musician!
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Yes, she is! I notice that she is always riffing with others. I love that connection.
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Yes, she now has her own show on PBS.
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Very good to know, Dwight. I donate to the local pbs station and have something called passport but haven’t taken the time to check it out.
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It might be included on Passport! I love PBS and Britbox!
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Wonderful selection, Lisa going with Rhiannon Giddens who I didn’t know anything about, but I am very impressed with the music she plays and her lovely voice. Thanks for sharing your music again.
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Glad you like what you are hearing, Jim. She’s a young person but she’s already a musical icon. You are welcome.
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I wouldn’t call 48 years old as being young, but she does have a bright future ahead of her.
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Jim, if you see 48 as not-young, how ancient must you feel? And yes, she does. When I see Keith Richards and Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan still touring, she’s got another whole lifetime of performing ahead of her.
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I think we could compromise and call her middle aged.
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I think we could also.
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Very nice choice, Lisa. There a bit of Buffy Sainte-Marie going on in my head as I listen to Rhiannon.
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Glad you like what you are hearing, Nancy. Thanks!
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It’s a pleasure, Lise. You’re most welcome.
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a nice song choice Li :D I didn’t know of her! I like what I’ve heard!
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She is the keeper of traditional music and pulls others in to her orbit. Glad you like Rhiannon’s performance :)
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thanks Lisa for introducing me to Rhiannon, what a beautiful voice and very talented. I loved both videos – I am a big fan of the Chieftains ♥️
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Ange, she and they are amazing, glad you are a fan <3
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🙌
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Thank you for the introduction. I had never heard of her although you mention having spotlighted her before- so maybe I just don’t remember. I can always count on you to bring me new female artists!
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You are welcome, V. The first time was 4 years ago, so it’s been awhile. And remember, March 1st starts another month of Women Music March :)
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Rhiannon is amazing, isn’t she. Great choice for today 👍
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Clive, yes she is! :) Thanks!
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I had heard of Rhiannon Giddens but had not listened to her music before. Oh my gosh, what a beautiful voice and an amazing musician. Thank you so much for sharing that today Lisa. I thoroughly enjoyed the one with the Chieftains, such fun. I loved the moodiness of the second one. 🥰
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Christine, very happy you enjoyed Rhiannon and her music. She’s a multi-faceted gem <3
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I was only familiar with the name Rhiannon Giddens but didn’t know or recall anything about her, though chances are I read your 2022’s Women Music March post. So thanks for the intro/reminder. This lady is just stunning! I better write down her name!
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Christian, I hope you do. I was stunned by learning about “Omar” and need to do some more research.
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Already wrote down her name for my Sunday series. As soon as I feature her, I’ll credit you for the inspiration! :-)
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haha! :)
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I have “They’re Calling Me Home” out of the library and I’ve been listening to it over and over. She’s a treasure. (K)
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Kerfe, that is so comforting and affirming. I want to try to find one by Silkroad Ensemble. World music at its best.
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♥️
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I was lucky enough to see Carolina Chocolate Drops at a neighborhood festival in 2010. She has an amazing background and career; never seeming to stand still and always ready to learn something new.
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Well-said, Steve. I was looking at a tour schedule for her and think she may be coming to Ann Arbor soon. You are blessed to have seen the group live!
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Thanks for bringing this artist to our attention!
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Walt, it is my pleasure to highlight Ms. Giddens :)
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I’d never heard this track before, but what immediately stood out was the mutual restraint between the artists. The Chieftains and The Carolina Chocolate Drops come from different traditions, yet they blend so seamlessly it feels less like a collaboration and more like a shared memory being recalled. They don’t try to modernize Pretty Little Girls, and that’s the strength of it. The song is allowed to exist as it is—aged, honest, and unpolished—speaking its old wisdom through them rather than being reshaped by them. That kind of trust in the material is rare in covers.
Nice pick.
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Mangus, thank you for sharing your insights on their collaboration. I thought she stepped into the lead role so seamlessly.
BTW, where have you been? I’ve been missing your posts.
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What a voice she has!!! I like what the two groups did in the first song. The second one has a more primitive sound. I enjoyed both of your picks!
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Marina so happy you liked both songs. The 2nd song makes me want to hear more by them.
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