Rhiannon Giddens
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Rhiannon Giddens (born February 21, 1977 in Greensboro , North Carolina ) is a singer of traditional American folk and old-time music, but also Irish-Gaelic music. She became known with the Carolina Chocolate Drops and with solo releases.
Career
Rhiannon Giddens grew up in McLeansville, a small town near Greensboro, North Carolina. Her white father was a member of a rock band, one of his brothers had a bluegrass band . Her black mother had a thing for classical music. Her youth was dominated by music and she also sang in the Greensboro Youth Choir, but it wasn't until she was 16 that she started taking singing lessons. She attended a science school and was planning in this direction professionally when she auditioned for a school support program at 17. Her special voice impressed the teachers and that gave her the impetus to pursue a singing career. She went to Oberlin College in Ohio , she studied classical singing and performed in operas. Although she finished her studies, she decided against classical music. Instead, she had discovered counter dance or square dance during college and appeared as a caller at dance events . She also joined a Celtic band and worked full-time as a graphic designer.
Through her job, she got involved in the Black Banjo Gathering at Appalachian State University in 2005 . She went to the festival herself and met the string band musician Joe Thompson. Through him she not only came to old-time music , she also met like-minded Dom Flemons and Justin Robinson. They started playing together and formed the Carolina Chocolate Drops . In a few years they made a name for themselves and in 2010 they released the album Genuine Negro Jig , for which they received a Grammy . After that, new musicians came and finally Flemons and Robinson left the band, so that Giddens remained as the only founding member.
In 2013, Giddens was invited by T-Bone Burnett to perform at the Another Day, Another Time concert show hosted by the Coen brothers . The idea for this came from the film Inside Llewyn Davis , which is about the folk singer of the same name from the 1960s. With the Traditional Waterboy and a performance of Puirt a beul , the Gaelic chant, also known as Mouth Music , it was a highlight of the event. The following year she recorded songs to Bob Dylan's lyrics for the album Lost on the River: The New Basement Tapes with Burnett and Elvis Costello as well as Taylor Goldsmith, Marcus Mumford and Jim James from My Morning Jacket .
Eventually she was asked by Burnett if she would like to record a solo album with him as producer. She specifically selected songs that had been written or sung by women and put together her solo debut Tomorrow Is My Turn . She was supported in this and during the accompanying solo tour by the other members of the still existing Carolina Chocolate Drops . The album reached number 1 in the US folk charts in early 2015 and was able to place in the official charts in both the USA and Great Britain. It also received a nomination for best folk album at the 2016 Grammy Awards . Giddens received two more Grammy nominations a year later for the EP Factory Girl, which was released in late 2015, and the theme song.
In June 2015, Giddens performed the gospel song Up Above My Head by Rosetta Tharpe at the White House .
In addition to singing folk and Irish mouth music, Rhiannon Giddens has mastered several instruments. Together with Leyla McCalla , Amythyst Kiah and Allison Russell, she also released the album Songs of Our Native Daughters in 2019 .
Around 2005 she met the Irish musician Michael Laffan during a stay in Scotland. The two married in 2007 and have two children. The family lives alternately in Ireland and South Carolina.
Prizes and awards
In 2016 she was awarded the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass , donated by actor and musician Steve Martin . In 2017 Giddens received a MacArthur Fellowship .
Discography
Albums under your own name
- Lost on the River (with New Basement Tapes , 2014)
- Tomorrow Is My Turn (2015)
- Factory Girl (EP, 2015)
- Freedom Highway (2017)
- There Is No Other (with Francesco Turrisi , 2019)
Songs
- Waterboy (2013)
- We Rise (2014)
- Don't Let It Trouble Your Mind / Shake Sugaree (2014)
- Black Is the Color (2014)
- She's Got You (2015)
- Factory Girl (2015)
- Freedom Highway (2016)
- At the Purchaser's Option (2017)
swell
- ↑ a b Chart sources: CH UK US
- ↑ Chart sources for Lost on the River - The New Basement Tapes : Germany / Great Britain / USA
- ↑ Rhiannon Giddens , entry at Rate Your Music (English)
- ^ The roots of Rhiannon Giddens , CBS New, Jan. 10, 2016
- ^ Rhiannon Giddens & The Making of NC's Most Beautiful Voice , Tommy Tomlinson, Our State - Celebrating North Carolina, September 2, 2015
- ^ Rhiannon Giddens: Tomorrow Is My Turn , Thomas Waldherr, Country.de, January 3, 2015
- ↑ PBS Broadcasts Rhiannon Giddens, Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell White House Performance in "The Gospel Tradition" , nonesuch, June 25, 2015.
- ^ Rhiannon Giddens, NC musician with 'unlimited talent,' makes history with Steve Martin Prize , David Menconi, The News & Observer, September 12, 2016
- ↑ Rhiannon Giddens, 40, singer, instrumentalist and songwriter living in Greensboro, NC , NPR, October 11, 2017, accessed October 8, 2018
Web links
- Official website (English)
- Rhiannon Giddens at Allmusic (English)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Giddens, Rhiannon |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American traditional music singer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | February 21, 1977 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Greensboro , North Carolina , United States |