The Carolina Chocolate Drops

Wednesday, September 21 at 8 p.m.

At University Auditorium in Cartwright Hall

carolinachocolatedrops.com
The Grammy Award-winning Carolina Chocolate Drops came together as much through a love of cultural exploration as a love of music. The old-time string band with a contemporary sensibility formed in 2005 after meeting at the Black Banjo Gathering in Boone, North Carolina. Their interest in American roots music as viewed through the African American experience grew into raucous performances that drew fans across generations and ethnic backgrounds. Their sets are now wide-ranging – from traditional folk like "Joe Henry" to Celtic and R&B tunes (the Chocolate Drops' cover of Blu Cantrell's "Hit 'Em Up Style" is a current hit).

The core of the Chocolate Drops' success comes from the talent of its musicians. Multi-instrumentalist Dom Flemons started playing banjo after finding inspiration in old Bob Dylan records and the folk movement of the 1960s. He travelled from Arizona and met Rhiannon Giddens at the Black Banjo Gathering. A trained classical singer and Oberlin grad, Giddens turned to folk music and the fiddle after an exhausting run of opera roles. The pair is now joined by multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Hubby Jenkins and New York beatboxer and vocal performance artist Adam Matta.

Reserved $25/KSU Students $15*
Available through KentStateFolkFestival.org, Spin More Records, Woodsy's Music in Kent and The Kent Stage.