Give Me the Banjo

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AMERICAN FOLK MUSIC,

BLUE GRASS AND COUNTRY

PROUDLY CALL:

THE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS HOME.

NOT ONLY A SPOT ON THE MAP, BU AN EMOTIONAL TERRAIN AS WELL.

YOU MAY WONDER WHY ME,

AND WHY THE BANJO.

I'M NOT A BANJO PLAYER MYSELF,

BUT THE INSTRUMEN IS STILL CENTRAL

TO MY OWN MUSICAL LINEAGE.

OF COURSE MY FATHER,

JOHNNY CASH,

GREW UP HEARING THIS MUSIC

IN ARKANSAS,

AND THEN MARRIED INTO

THE CARTER FAMILY,

WHO GAVE BIRTH TO

MODERN COUNTRY MUSIC.

TONIGHT'S FILM,

"GIVE ME THE BANJO,"

CELEBRATES THIS ART FORM

IN ALL ITS SPLENDOR.

A COMBINATION OF TRADITIONAL

CELTIC SONGS MELDED WITH

AN AFRICAN SLAVE BANJO

HAS CREATED A SOUND AND

A MOOD BOTH FOOT POUNDING

AND HEART WRENCHING,

AND HAS AN INFECTIOUSNESS

AND A SPIRIT UNIQUELY AMERICAN.

OUR FILM TONIGHT IS PRESENTED

BY STEVE MARTIN,

NO STRANGER HIMSELF

TO THE LURES OF THE BANJO,

AND AN ACCOMPLISHED PLAYER.

PLUS, OF COURSE,

SO MANY LEGENDS.

EARL SCRUGGS, PETE SEEGER,

BELA FLECK AND MORE.

SO GET COMFY BECAUSE

THERE'S GONNA BE A LO OF TOE TAPPING MUSIC AHEAD.

ENJOY "GIVE ME THE BANJO,".

THE SOUTHERN HUMANITIES

MEDIA FUND.

507 INDIVIDUAL DONORS

ON KICKSTARTER.

INNOVATIVE FILMS, INC.

THE TIDES FOUNDATION.

MASSACHUSETTS HUMANITIES...

AND OTHERS.

A COMPLETE LIST IS AVAILABLE

FROM PBS.

[ APPLAUSE ]

TO OPEN THE SHOW TONIGHT,

WE WOULD LIKE:

TO PLAY OUR FIRST SONG.

[ LAUGHTER ]

SO, LET'S KICK IT OFF.

1, 2, 3, 4!

I THINK PEOPLE:

ARE CONTINUALLY TRANSFIXED

BY THE FIVE-STRING BANJO,

IN SOME MYSTERIOUS WAY.

THE BANJO REALLY HAS A

COMPLICATED AND CHECKERED PAST.

THE BANJO HAS ALWAYS

COMPLICATED AND CHECKERED PAST.

THE BANJO HAS ALWAYS

SYMBOLIZED SOMETHING OTHER

THE BANJO HAS ALWAYS

SYMBOLIZED SOMETHING OTHER

THAN JUST MUSIC IN OUR CULTURE.

SYMBOLIZED SOMETHING OTHER

THAN JUST MUSIC IN OUR CULTURE.

EVERY TIME YOU PICK UP A BANJO,

THAN JUST MUSIC IN OUR CULTURE.

EVERY TIME YOU PICK UP A BANJO,

IT'S GOING TO SYMBOLIZE

EVERY TIME YOU PICK UP A BANJO,

IT'S GOING TO SYMBOLIZE

WILD, RURAL, SIMPLE,

IT'S GOING TO SYMBOLIZE

WILD, RURAL, SIMPLE,

AND EVEN CLOWNISH.

WILD, RURAL, SIMPLE,

AND EVEN CLOWNISH.

THE BANJO'S BEEN

AND EVEN CLOWNISH.

THE BANJO'S BEEN

AN EMBLEM OF AMERICAN CULTURE.

THE BANJO'S BEEN

AN EMBLEM OF AMERICAN CULTURE.

IT'S BEEN A...

AN EMBLEM OF AMERICAN CULTURE.

IT'S BEEN A...

A STEREOTYPE:

IT'S BEEN A...

A STEREOTYPE:

FROM ITS BEGINNING HERE.

A STEREOTYPE:

FROM ITS BEGINNING HERE.

IT WAS AN AFRICAN INSTRUMEN FROM ITS BEGINNING HERE.

IT WAS AN AFRICAN INSTRUMEN WHEN IT CAME HERE.

IT WAS AN AFRICAN INSTRUMEN WHEN IT CAME HERE.

IT BECAME AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN

WHEN IT CAME HERE.

IT BECAME AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN

INSTRUMENT HERE:

IT BECAME AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN

INSTRUMENT HERE:

AND EVENTUALLY BEGAN

INSTRUMENT HERE:

AND EVENTUALLY BEGAN

BEING PLAYED:

AND EVENTUALLY BEGAN

BEING PLAYED:

BY THE EUROPEAN-AMERICANS.

BEING PLAYED:

BY THE EUROPEAN-AMERICANS.

ONE OF THE GREAT DARK SECRETS

BY THE EUROPEAN-AMERICANS.

ONE OF THE GREAT DARK SECRETS

OF THE BANJO IS THA ONE OF THE GREAT DARK SECRETS

OF THE BANJO IS THA IT REALLY IS

OF THE BANJO IS THA IT REALLY IS

AN EMOTIONAL INSTRUMENT.

"GIVE ME THE BANJO!"

WROTE MARK TWAIN IN 1865,

"WHEN YOU WANT GENUINE MUSIC,

WROTE MARK TWAIN IN 1865,

"WHEN YOU WANT GENUINE MUSIC,

MUSIC THAT WILL COME RIGHT HOME

"WHEN YOU WANT GENUINE MUSIC,

MUSIC THAT WILL COME RIGHT HOME

TO YOU,

MUSIC THAT WILL COME RIGHT HOME

TO YOU,

SUFFUSE YOUR SYSTEM

TO YOU,

SUFFUSE YOUR SYSTEM

LIKE STRYCHNINE WHISKEY,

SUFFUSE YOUR SYSTEM

LIKE STRYCHNINE WHISKEY,

RAMIFY YOUR WHOLE CONSTITUTION

LIKE STRYCHNINE WHISKEY,

RAMIFY YOUR WHOLE CONSTITUTION

LIKE THE MEASLES

RAMIFY YOUR WHOLE CONSTITUTION

LIKE THE MEASLES

AND BREAK OUT ON YOUR HIDE

LIKE THE MEASLES

AND BREAK OUT ON YOUR HIDE

LIKE PINFEATHER PIMPLES

AND BREAK OUT ON YOUR HIDE

LIKE PINFEATHER PIMPLES

ON A PICKED GOOSE.

LIKE PINFEATHER PIMPLES

ON A PICKED GOOSE.

WHEN YOU WANT ALL THIS,

ON A PICKED GOOSE.

WHEN YOU WANT ALL THIS,

JUST SMASH YOUR PIANO

WHEN YOU WANT ALL THIS,

JUST SMASH YOUR PIANO

AND INVOKE:

JUST SMASH YOUR PIANO

AND INVOKE:

THE GLORY BEAMING BANJO!"

[ CHEERING AND APPLAUSE ]

[ BANJO PLAYING ]

WE'RE GONNA PLAY FOR FISH.

THAT'S RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA PLAY

FOR THE HALIBUT (HELL-OF-IT).

THAT'S RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA PLAY

FOR THE HALIBUT (HELL-OF-IT).

HERE'S AN OLD SONG

FOR THE HALIBUT (HELL-OF-IT).

HERE'S AN OLD SONG

CALLED "CRIPPLE CREEK."

IT WAS GOOD BEING HERE,

KNOWING THAT THERE ARE

OTHER BLACK PEOPLE

KNOWING THAT THERE ARE

OTHER BLACK PEOPLE

WHO PLAY BANJO,

PLAY AND STUDY OLD-TIME MUSIC.

AND IT'S FUN JUST SEEING

PEOPLE IN GENERAL, I DON'T CARE

WHAT COLOR THEY ARE,

TAKE AN INTEREST IN ANYTHING

INVOLVING GOOD MUSIC.

GOIN' ON THE RUN

GOIN' UP T' CRIPPLE CREEK

HAVE A LITTLE FUN

YOU KNOW,

IT'S A SMALL CLUB.

IF THERE'S A HUNDRED BLACK BANJO

PLAYERS IN THE WORLD,

THAT'S A VERY SMALL MINORITY.

AND IT WAS FUN TO SEE

TWO DOZEN OF THEM.

YOU KNOW, IT'S, OH,

I'M NOT ALONE!

GOIN' ON THE RUN

GOIN' UP T' CRIPPLE CREEK

HAVE A LITTLE FUN

Martin:
AMERICANS HAVE BEEN

REDISCOVERING AND REINVENTING

THE BANJO AND ITS MUSIC

REDISCOVERING AND REINVENTING

THE BANJO AND ITS MUSIC

FOR TWO CENTURIES OR MORE.

THE BANJO AND ITS MUSIC

FOR TWO CENTURIES OR MORE.

IN 2005 AND AGAIN IN 2010,

FOR TWO CENTURIES OR MORE.

IN 2005 AND AGAIN IN 2010,

MUSICIANS AND SCHOLARS CAME

IN 2005 AND AGAIN IN 2010,

MUSICIANS AND SCHOLARS CAME

TO BOONE, NORTH CAROLINA,

MUSICIANS AND SCHOLARS CAME

TO BOONE, NORTH CAROLINA,

FOR THE BLACK BANJO GATHERING,

TO BOONE, NORTH CAROLINA,

FOR THE BLACK BANJO GATHERING,

TO CELEBRATE THE BANJO'S

FOR THE BLACK BANJO GATHERING,

TO CELEBRATE THE BANJO'S

AFRICAN, CARIBBEAN,

TO CELEBRATE THE BANJO'S

AFRICAN, CARIBBEAN,

AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN ORIGINS.

FOR SOME, LIKE RHIANNON GIDDENS,

IT WAS A CHANCE TO RECLAIM

A MUSICAL HERITAGE.

Giddens:
ALL THESE MUSICIANS

ARE ALL HERE DOING THIS CONCER BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE

IN THE MISSION,

GETTING PEOPLE TO KNOW MORE

ABOUT WHERE THIS INSTRUMEN COMES FROM, 'CAUSE THEY AIN' HERE FOR THE MONEY.

THEY AIN'T HERE FOR THE GLORY.

IS THAT BETTER?

OH, PLAY IT!

Giddens:
THERE'S SO MUCH

HISTORY IN THIS MUSIC THAT IS

Giddens:
THERE'S SO MUCH

HISTORY IN THIS MUSIC THAT IS

NOT IN PUBLIC VIEW.

HISTORY IN THIS MUSIC THAT IS

NOT IN PUBLIC VIEW.

THE GOOD STUFF:

NOT IN PUBLIC VIEW.

THE GOOD STUFF:

AND THE BAD STUFF.

THE GOOD STUFF:

AND THE BAD STUFF.

[ BLOWING KAZOO ]

THE CULTURAL RICHNESS OF IT,

THE HISTORICAL RICHNESS OF IT,

AND THEN THE MUSIC ITSELF

THE HISTORICAL RICHNESS OF IT,

AND THEN THE MUSIC ITSELF

FILLS A HOLE,

AND THEN THE MUSIC ITSELF

FILLS A HOLE,

AND IF WE CAN GET CLOSER

FILLS A HOLE,

AND IF WE CAN GET CLOSER

TO FILLING THAT HOLE, YOU KNOW,

AND IF WE CAN GET CLOSER

TO FILLING THAT HOLE, YOU KNOW,

I THINK EVERYBODY IS

TO FILLING THAT HOLE, YOU KNOW,

I THINK EVERYBODY IS

ENRICHED BY IT.

I THINK EVERYBODY IS

ENRICHED BY IT.

DON'T GET TROUBLE

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