Rhiannon Giddens

Rhiannon Giddens is the co-founder of the Grammy award-winning string band Carolina Chocolate Drops, in which she played banjo and fiddle. She came onto the scene as a solo artist when she performed at the T Bone Burnett– produced Another Day, Another Time concert at New York City’s Town Hall in 2013. She's also known for her solo debut, the Grammy-nominated album, "Tomorrow Is My Turn," which blends American musical genres like gospel, jazz, blues, and country. She released her follow-up album, "Freedom Highway," in February 2017, featuring 9 original songs Giddens wrote or co-wrote.

In addition to her work with the Carolina Chocolate Drops and her solo albums, Giddens is also distinguished for her collaborations, including her participation in the T Bone Burnett-produced project "The New Basement Tapes" in 2014. Her discography includes five solo albums: "Tomorrow Is My Turn," "Freedom Highway," "There Is No Other," "They're Calling Me Home," and "You're the One." She has also recorded with her Italian musical partner, Francesco Turrisi, in 2019 and 2021.

Giddens is a graduate of Oberlin Conservatory at Oberlin College, where she studied opera. She made her acting debut with a recurring role on the television drama "Nashville," playing the role of Hanna Lee “Hallie” Jordan. She appeared in the Smithsonian Folkways collection documenting Mike Seeger's final trip through Appalachia in 2009 and also took part in the concert "Another Day, Another Time" inspired by the Coen brothers film Inside Llewyn Davis in 2013.

Her accomplishments have led her to be named Artistic Director of the music organization Silkroad in July 2020. In 2023, the opera "Omar," co-written by Giddens and Michael Abels, won the Pulitzer Prize for Music. That same year, she was named the musical director of the Ojai Music Festival. She has also been recognized with awards such as the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass, and her induction into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. Her recognition extends to an Honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in December 2020 and being named Folk Singer of the Year at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

Beyond music and acting, Giddens has also ventured into literature with four children's books published by Candlewick Press and has started hosting the podcast "Aria Code with Rhiannon Giddens" in December 2018. Giddens' commitment to music education is evident in her position in the programming lineup at Wondrium, where she leads the series "The Banjo: Music, History and Heritage" in 2023.