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Birth of the Banjo

Tuesday, August 07 2007 by

What would bluegrass music be without the banjo? The instrument has become a staple in Southern traditional music, but the roots of the banjo extend far beyond the Blue Ridge Mountains. Musician and author Bob Carlin spent years researching the banjo's origins and documented his findings in a new book, "The Birth of the Banjo" (McFarland & Company/2007). Bob gives host Frank Stasio a lesson in music history.