| Imagine you have no video
games, no television … not even a radio to listen to at home! How
do you think you and your family would entertain yourselves when the chores
were all done? Music has always been a way to tell a story or just
have some fun!
American roots music is
unique because it is a mix of traditions from around the world. In
the 1600s, Spanish settlers brought an instrument like the guitar to America.
The instrument continued to change in places like Italy and France, and
by the early 1800s the six string guitar was known in North America.
The violin or fiddle is
the oldest instrument in American music though. Because it is small
and easy to carry, it could be found on the frontier. The fiddle
was so popular that by 1736 there were already contests being held in the
South. Many popular fiddle tunes came from Ireland and Scotland,
and it was often used to accompany dancers.
The banjo traces its history
back to Africa as early as the 1400s! The "father" of today's banjo
was brought to America by slaves, and was made from gourds. The banjo,
like other instruments, continued to change. By the mid 1800s people
in bands were playing the fiddle and the banjo together.
Think of the music you
like to listen to. Can you hear the different "voices" or sounds
from the different instruments?
Want to learn more?
Visit PBS on-line. |
