The Ebony Hillbillies
The Ebony Hillbillies have spent years delighting audiences, educators and students of all ages with their unique combination of interactive storytelling and exciting musical performances. Introducing listeners to the sounds that highlight a nearly forgotten legacy, The Ebony Hillbillies teach how 18th and 19th century string bands served as the first melting pots in American history, combining the musical and creative integration of Africans, African Americans and Native Americans with influences of Scottish, Irish and other European immigrants into one cohesive sound, becoming the precursor for today’s modern music. At once music melancholy, born of deprivation, disenfranchisement and disappointment while simultaneously filled with joy, hopefulness and laughter, The Ebony Hillbillies create music from the early age of Americana, magically modern and ancient at the same time. Recently mourning the loss of beloved band member Mr. Norris Washington Bennet, whose angelically soulful, heart-wrenching vocals recalled past centuries. The Ebony Hillbillies proudly carry on their tradition as the preeminent African American string band in a spectacular program where music and history collide.
