Today’s episode has a lot of pluck! It’s all about the banjo. For over 100 years, the banjo has been associated with country and bluegrass music, two genres that over-index with white musicians. But, with the help of Rhiannon Giddens, we find out that this uniquely American instrument traveled from Africa. The banjo’s story is so rich, it can’t be contained ... Show More
Oct 7
What's the history of chocolate?
Chocolate. You know it. You love it. You can’t get enough of it. Today, we think of chocolate as a sweet treat, but for most of human history, it was actually a bitter drink. This week Joy and co-host Camila go coo-coo for cocoa history and learn how indigenous people in Mesoamer ... Show More
39 m
Feb 2023
The Soul of Music: Rhiannon Giddens excavates the past
This episode is part one of The Soul of Music—Overheard’s four-part series focusing on music, exploration, and Black history. Our guest this week is two-time Grammy award winner Rhiannon Giddens, a singer, songwriter, and banjo and fiddle player. A self-described “armchair histor ... Show More
35m 14s
May 2024
16 | America Has A Problem | For Real, For Real
Black culture is a pivotal pillar of broader American culture. From fashion, to language, to being the sonic foundation to much of American music. In this special episode, our hosts do a deep dive into country music and how its roots are grounded in Black music. Using Beyoncé’s l ... Show More
33m 50s
Oct 2019
Songs that Cross Borders
<p>Coming off our adventures with Square Dancing, and Jad's dive into the world of Dolly Parton, we look back at one our favorites. About a decade ago, we found out that American country music is surprising popular in places like Zimbabwe, Thailand, and South Africa. Aaron Fox, a ... Show More
26m 6s
Aug 2022
Béla Fleck
Today we are featuring a conversation with the world’s preeminent banjo player, Béla Fleck. Over the course of his four-decade career, Béla has won numerous Grammys in a variety of surprising genres including Jazz, Latin, Pop, and Classical. Last year, his latest release, My Blue ... Show More
48m 20s