Documentary Featuring Carolina Chocolate Drops, Win Signed Banjo!

The Librarian and The Banjo is a one-hour documentary about the life and legacy of a Milwaukee-born music librarian who proved that the banjo came from Africa with the slaves. Her work shattered long-held stereotypes and laid the groundwork for a remarkable revival of black string band music. Buy the | Read More»

Diggin’: Robert Lee Coleman “Raisin’ Cain”

Listen: Raisin' Cain Robert Lee Coleman celebrated his 68th birthday yesterday. Having the opportunity to work with Coleman has been a privilege; after all, he is, in part, responsible for the fledgling funk and soul sound of James Brown’s Hot Pants and Live at the Apollo and all the | Read More»

Kickstarter alert! Ironing Board Sam launches 5/13

Kickstarter has launched! Support it now! A new film, TENTH, by current filmmaker and former MMRF intern Tom Ciaburri, shines new light on Ironing Board Sam's decades-long career, and a Kickstarter campaign launching May 13th will help get that film out to the world. Check out the Kickstarter here! Sam | Read More»

Ironing Board Sam’s Elementary School Backup Band

Ironing Board Sam and the students of Orange Charter School in Hillsborough, NC, wowed parents, faculty, and other students with their performance of Blues and Rock & Roll yesterday! They have been preparing for this moment for months (check out more about this awesome program here), with thanks to funding | Read More»

Diggin’: Pura Fé’s “Follow Your Heart’s Desire”

Listen: Follow Your Heart's Desire Photo of Pura Fé and Charly Lowry by Aaron Greenhood and Tim Duffy When I sent Taj Mahal the album that includes this track, he described Pura Fé as, “A beautiful songbird who transcends time and brings the message of our ancestors who have sown | Read More»

Matching Grant – We still need you!

There's still time - give now and your support is doubled Have you heard? Generous supporters have offered to match any gift you make to Music Maker before June 30th - up to $80,000, and only if we hit that goal. Thanks to all your support so far, we're over halfway | Read More»

Giddens Sisters’ “I Know I’ve Been Changed” Set to Release 4/30

Rhiannon Giddens, a member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, an MMRF board member and a Next Generation artist, has partnered here with her sister, Lalenja, to release a unique, multidimensional album featuring gospel duets, old-time music, and original poetry. On the 15-track album, Rhiannon plays banjo and fiddle on the | Read More»

Diggin’: “Here Come the Girls”

Listen: Here Come the Girls In our past twenty years, there are many artists Music Maker has worked with; some needed more help than others. In the case of Ernie, photographed here with legendary Bluesman Taj Mahal, he needed assistance with paying for his medicine, and with the opening of | Read More»

Diggin’: Cootie Stark & Neal Pattman’s “John Henry”

Listen: John Henry I was listening to the local jazz station on my way into work this morning and Kenny Burrell’s “Chitlins con Carne” came on. Kenny Burrell is a jazz guitarist and composer who’s style is deeply influenced by blues and his musical surrounding growing up in | Read More»

Blues Revue Heads to Shakori Hills

Music Maker at Shakori in 2011 The Music Maker Blues Revue will perform at Shakori Hills Music Festival in Pittsboro, NC this weekend. If you're at the festival, you can see Ironing Board Sam, Pat Cohen, Boo Hanks, Bubba Norwood, Ben Payton, Captain Luke, and Ron Hunter in the Cabaret Tent | Read More»