Rhiannon Giddens facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rhiannon Giddens
Giddens performing at Byron Bay Bluesfest in New South Wales, Australia, March 2016
Background information
Born	(1977-02-21) February 21, 1977 (age 48) Greensboro, North Carolina, U.S.
Genres	Folk old-time music bluegrass country gospel blues jazz soul R&B Celtic Americana
Instruments	Vocals fiddle banjo viola
Years active	2004–present
Labels	Music Maker Nonesuch

Rhiannon Giddens (born February 21, 1977) is an American musician. She is famous for her unique folk music style. Rhiannon was a founding member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops. This band played country, blues, and old-time music. In the band, she was the lead singer, played the fiddle, and the banjo.

Rhiannon Giddens is from Greensboro, North Carolina. Besides her work with the Grammy-winning Carolina Chocolate Drops, she has released five solo albums. These include Tomorrow Is My Turn (2015) and Freedom Highway (2017). She also released There Is No Other (2019) and They're Calling Me Home (2021), both with Italian musician Francesco Turrisi. Her latest solo album, You're the One, came out in 2023.

In 2014, Rhiannon worked on a special project called The New Basement Tapes. She joined other musicians to create new music for recently found lyrics by Bob Dylan. The album, Lost on the River: The New Basement Tapes, was very popular. She also contributed the song "Mountain Hymn" to the video game Red Dead Redemption 2. In 2023, an opera called Omar, which Rhiannon co-wrote, won a Pulitzer Prize for Music.

Early Life and Family

Rhiannon Giddens has a diverse family background. Her father, David Giddens, is European-American. Her mother, Deborah Jamieson, has African American and Native American roots. These Native American tribes include the Lumbee, Occaneechi, and Seminole. Rhiannon grew up in Greensboro and nearby Gibsonville with her sister, Lalenja.

Lalenja Harrington is also a singer and songwriter. She sometimes works with Rhiannon on music projects. Lalenja helps students with intellectual disabilities at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Musical Journey and Achievements

Giddens performing at Rudolstadt, July 2015

Rhiannon Giddens studied opera at Oberlin Conservatory and graduated in 2000. In 2005, she met Dom Flemons and Súle Greg Wilson at a banjo gathering. They started a band called Sankofa Strings. Rhiannon also played in a Celtic music band called Gaelwynd. Later in 2005, Rhiannon and Dom Flemons formed the Grammy-winning Carolina Chocolate Drops.

By 2013, Rhiannon was the only original member left in the Carolina Chocolate Drops. She began to focus more on her solo career. In 2013, she performed at a concert inspired by the film Inside Llewyn Davis. Many people said her performance was the best of the night.

Giddens performing at the Interstellar Rodeo in Edmonton, July 2015

In February 2015, Rhiannon released her first solo album, Tomorrow Is My Turn. The album featured songs made famous by other great singers like Patsy Cline and Nina Simone. Critics praised the album, calling her a "significant talent." In November 2015, she released an EP called Factory Girl.

In 2016, Rhiannon Giddens made history. She became the first American to win Folk Singer of the Year at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. She also received the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass. She was the first woman and first person of color to win this award. The Carolina Chocolate Drops were also inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame.

In 2017, Rhiannon performed at both the Newport Folk and Jazz Festivals. She was also named a MacArthur "Genius" Fellow. This award recognized her talent and her efforts to understand and share different musical traditions. She worked on many projects, including performing with the Louisville Orchestra and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra.

In early 2018, Rhiannon co-produced Songs of Our Native Daughters. She worked with Amythyst Kiah, Leyla McCalla, and Allison Russell. This album explored America's history of slavery and racism through music. In February 2019, the Nashville Ballet premiered Lucy Negro, Redux. Rhiannon Giddens wrote the music for this ballet.

In 2019, Rhiannon released two studio albums: Songs of Our Native Daughters and There Is No Other with Francesco Turrisi. In 2020, she was named artistic director of Silkroad, a group that explores music from different cultures. In December 2020, she received an honorary degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. In 2023, she also received an honorary Doctor of Music from Princeton University.

Acting Roles

From 2017 to 2018, Rhiannon Giddens appeared in the TV show Nashville. She played Hannah Lee "Hallie" Jordan, a social worker and gospel singer. She was in 11 episodes and performed several songs on the show.

Documentaries and Books

Rhiannon Giddens has been featured in documentaries. In 2022, she appeared in Black Fiddlers, sharing memories of other musicians. She is also in the 2024 documentary Cover Your Ears, which talks about music censorship.

Rhiannon has announced that she will have four children's books published. The first two books, released in 2022, are based on her songs "Build A House" and "We Could Fly."

Personal Life

Rhiannon Giddens has two children, a daughter born in 2009 and a son born in 2013. She lives in Limerick, Ireland.

Discography

Solo Albums

• Tomorrow Is My Turn (2015)
• Freedom Highway (2017)
• There Is No Other with Francesco Turrisi (2019)
• They're Calling Me Home with Francesco Turrisi (2021)
• You're the One (2023)
• What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow (2025)

Other Notable Albums

• As member of Carolina Chocolate Drops: Genuine Negro Jig (2010), Leaving Eden (2012)
• As member of The New Basement Tapes: Lost on the River: The New Basement Tapes (2014)
• As member of Our Native Daughters: Songs of Our Native Daughters (2019)

Awards and Recognitions

See also

In Spanish: Rhiannon Giddens para niños