The Roots of the Tulip

Perhaps the most iconic country music instrument of all is the banjo. Its classic, twangy sound is instantly recognizable. The banjo’s roots stretch back much further than American history. The first iteration of the banjo, also called banjar, bangie, banjer, and banza, was created in the early 17th century in West Africa and brought to America through Africans, and continued to develop into the instrument we know today in African American communities under duress.