My guests on the podcast this week are Lillian Werbin and Kristina Gaddy. I caught up with them at IBMA to chat about Roots Revival : A Black Stringband Symposium, a collaboration between IBMA and The Banjo Gathering.

Hosted at IBMA's World of Bluegrass, the symposium celebrated and explored Black contributions to Bluegrass and other traditional music, both historic and continuing, featuring contemporary conversations about diversity and inclusion in traditional music and the ways in which Black musicians, builders, and researchers navigate bluegrass and traditional music spaces.

We talk about how the event came together, some of the themes it explores and how discussions and events like this can become part of the continuing conversation about traditional music.

For more information on The Banjo Gathering, and to sign up for the 2024 event, which is happening this month, head to The Banjo Gathering website.

If you missed it, check out my interview with Kristina about her fabulous book Well of Souls : Uncovering the Banjo's Hidden History. You can buy Well of Souls at Elderly Instruments (which Lillian is also CEO and co-owner of!).

I really enjoyed this conversation and it helped me think about some of the issues we touched on with fresh insight and understanding. I hope you enjoy it.

Happy picking.
Matt

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Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)

Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins

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