Dom Flemons facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dom Flemons
Dom Flemons in September 2021, after a performance at The Barns at Wolf Trap
Background information
Birth name	Dominique Flemons
Born	(1982-08-30) August 30, 1982 (age 42) Phoenix, Arizona, United States
Genres	Old-time music, Piedmont blues, Neotraditionalist country
Occupation(s)	Multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter
Instruments	Banjo, bones, jug, quills, guitar, harmonica, drums, vocals
Years active	2000s–present
Labels	Various
Associated acts	Carolina Chocolate Drops

Dominique Flemons (born August 30, 1982) is a talented American musician. He sings, writes songs, and plays many instruments. His music includes old-time music, Piedmont blues, and neotraditional country. Dom Flemons can play the banjo, fife, guitar, harmonica, and even rhythm bones. He is called "The American Songster" because he knows and performs songs from almost 100 years of American folklore. He has shared the stage with famous musicians like Taj Mahal and Old Crow Medicine Show.

Dom Flemons was a founding member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops. He was with the group from 2005 until 2013. Since then, he has released several albums on his own. His album, Black Cowboys (2018), was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Folk Album. It was also nominated for a Blues Music Award in the 'Acoustic Album' group.

About Dom Flemons

His Early Life and Music

Dom Flemons was born in Phoenix, Arizona, in the United States. He has both African American and Mexican family roots. In high school, he played percussion in the band. As a teenager, he played guitar and harmonica in local coffee shops.

He grew up listening to his parents' music collection. He learned more by studying recordings from artists like Bob Dylan and the Beatles. This led him to discover early American folk musicians. Flemons often performed music on the streets and in local venues in Arizona.

He studied English at Northern Arizona University. There, he met Sule Greg Wilson, a local musician and expert in folklore. Wilson became a guide for Flemons. He helped him improve his playing and understand the history of blues and American folk music.

Being Part of the Carolina Chocolate Drops

The Carolina Chocolate Drops is an old-time string band. They are from Durham, North Carolina. Their album, Genuine Negro Jig (2010), won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album.

The Carolina Chocolate Drops performing in Birmingham, Alabama in 2008. From left to right: Dom Flemons, jug; Rhiannon Giddens, 5-string banjo; Justin Robinson, fiddle

The group started in November 2005. This was after the members attended the first Black Banjo Gathering. Dom Flemons played bones, jug, guitar, and banjo in the group. The Carolina Chocolate Drops released five albums while Flemons was a member. They also opened for Taj Mahal and Bob Dylan. They performed on many famous shows and stages.

On November 12, 2013, Dom Flemons announced he was leaving the band. He wanted to focus on his own music career.

His Solo Music Career

Dom Flemons started his solo career while still with the Carolina Chocolate Drops. He released his first solo album, Dance Tunes Ballads & Blues, in 2007. His next album, American Songster, came out in 2008.

Over the years, Flemons has performed alone at many famous places. These include Carnegie Hall and the Grand Ole Opry. He also performed at the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. In 2017, he represented the United States at the Rainforest World Music Festival in Malaysia.

In 2014, Flemons released Prospect Hill. For this album, he worked with other musicians. The album featured seven of his own songs. Flemons also helps find new musical talent for the Music Maker Relief Foundation.

His album Black Cowboys (2018) tells the story of African Americans in the American West. It includes songs and poems that show how thousands of Black pioneers shaped the West. He used old songs like "Home on the Range" and "Goodbye Old Paint." He also wrote a song about Bill Pickett, a leading Black movie cowboy. The album was released with the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of African American History and Culture. Flemons used old instruments like the six-string banjo and the quills on the album.

In 2017, Flemons was featured on David Holt's State of Music on PBS. He also played the blues musician Joe Hill Louis on the CMT television show Sun Records. Flemons also started a podcast called American Songster Radio on WUNC National Public Radio.

Working with Other Musicians

In 2012, Flemons recorded an album called Buffalo Junction with blues guitarist Boo Hanks. Four years later, in 2016, Flemons teamed up with British guitarist Martin Simpson. They recorded an album together called A Selection of Ever Popular Favourites.

Dom Flemons performing in May 2010.

Instruments He Plays

Dom Flemons' main instrument is the banjo. He plays different types of banjos. These include a Deering 4-string banjo and a Gibson GB-1 6-string. He also plays a rare, large 1920s Clef Club banjo.

Where He Lives Now

As of 2025, Dom Flemons has been living in the Chicago, Illinois, area for several years.

Awards and Recognition

The Boston Globe newspaper has praised Dom Flemons. They said that "American songster" truly describes his work. He is a multi-instrumentalist who was a founding member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops and also a solo artist.

Flemons won a Grammy Award as part of the Carolina Chocolate Drops for their album, Genuine Negro Jig. His solo album, Black Cowboys (2018), was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Folk Album. It was also nominated for a 2019 Blues Music Award in the 'Acoustic Album' group.

His Music Albums

Albums

Singles

Other Recordings He Played On