Rhiannon Giddens — the Pulitzer Prize-winning musician, historian, writer, Beyoncé collaborator and North Carolina native — is bringing a new music festival to Durham next spring.
Why it matters: The three-day music festival — called Biscuits & Banjos — will celebrate all the influence of Black music and art on distinct American styles of music, like country, blues, jazz and bluegrass.
- The festival will also be the first reunion of the Carolina Chocolate Drops — an influential bluegrass band Giddens co-founded — since 2014.
Zoom in: The festival will be held throughout Durham, including venues like the Durham Performing Arts Center and the Carolina Theatre, from April 25-27.
- The initial lineup includes Giddens, the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Taj Mahal, Christian McBride, Rissi Palmer, New Dangerfield, Leyla McCalla and The Legendary Ingramettes. More acts will be added in the coming months.
- The programming will also include discussions on literature and foodways, as well as a celebrity chef bake-off, Giddens said in a video release.
- Weekend passes start at $218 and Saturday-only tickets are $132.