The banjo matched the rhythm of the black slave spirituals and sang out the ballads of the Civil War. It played opera in the Victorian parlour, picked out syncopated melodies of Ragtime and re-invented itself for the Depression, protest and rock ’n’ roll eras.
With performances from great players including Pete Seeger, Earl Scruggs, Bill Monroe and Bela Fleck set against the landscapes of rural and urban America, complimented by original recordings and archive.