About the Guest
Rhiannon Giddens co-founded the Grammy Award-winning Carolina Chocolate Drops, and she has been nominated for six additional Grammys for her work as a soloist and collaborator.
Among her many diverse career highlights, Giddens has performed for the Obamas at the White House, served as a Carnegie Hall Perspectives curator, and received an inaugural Legacy of Americana Award from Nashville’s National Museum of African American History in partnership with the Americana Music Association. She is the 2023 recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Music.
Giddens was elected to the Academy in 2022.
A more extensive biography of Giddens is here in the Academy's member directory.
Episode Summary
Giddens speaks with Academy President Laurie Patton about her career beginnings, including a couple of years working a corporate job; her developing reputation as a musician-scholar; and the unique mix of influences that have shaped her creative perspective and approach to making art.
Additional Notes
Gino Beniamino produces Amacad.
“Love Endures,” from the jazz quartet 4-Sight featuring Rodney Whitaker, is the Amacad theme music.