The banjo is a uniquely American instrument with African roots, evolving over centuries through cultural adaptations and musical innovation.
The earliest ancestors of the banjo were West African, particularly instruments like the akonting and ngoni, which used gourds as resonating bodies and animal skin for soundboards. Enslaved Africans brought these traditions to the Caribbean and colonial America, where the first "gourd banjos" appeared in the 17th and 18th centuries. These early banjos were played almost exclusively by African and African-American musicians before entering mainstream American culture.
The banjo became widely known through blackface minstrel shows, where white performers appropriated African-American music and culture. Minstrel banjos were typically fretless, with gut strings and large bodies. Despite the racist content, the minstrel era spread the banjo across the United States and even to Europe, cementing its place as a symbol of American music.
By the late 1800s, the banjo was elevated into parlor music and classical repertoire. Middle- and upper-class Americans embraced the instrument, with sheet music and banjo clubs flourishing. The classical banjo style used fingerpicking techniques similar to those of the classical guitar, often on fretted banjos with metal strings.
During the ragtime craze (1890s-1910s), the banjo was a staple in ragtime orchestras and early jazz ensembles. Its bright, percussive tone cut through brass and woodwinds, making it ideal for syncopated rhythms. Players like Vess Ossman and Fred Van Eps became recording stars, showcasing virtuosic ragtime banjo solos.
In the 20th century, the banjo splintered into multiple traditions: old-time and folk revival (clawhammer style, Pete Seeger's long-neck banjo), bluegrass (Earl Scruggs' three-finger "Scruggs-style" revolutionized the instrument in the 1940s), jazz banjo (four-string tenor and plectrum banjos in Dixieland), and contemporary fusion (artists like Béla Fleck push the banjo into classical, world, and experimental music).
Playing techniques include Clawhammer/Frailing (rhythmic down-picking with the back of the fingernail, thumb on the drone string), Scruggs Style (three-finger picking with metal fingerpicks, producing rolling arpeggios), Melodic/Keith Style (developed later, allowing note-for-note fiddle tune playing), and Single-String/Jazz Plectrum Styles (adapted for chordal and melodic jazz playing).
There are several types of banjos, including the 5-string banjo (the most iconic, used in bluegrass, folk, and old-time), the 4-string tenor banjo (popular in Irish traditional music and early jazz), the plectrum banjo (similar to tenor but with a longer neck, used in Dixieland jazz), the 6-string banjo/banjitar (tuned like a guitar, appealing to guitarists), the banjolele/banjo ukeulele (a hybrid with a playful, bright sound), and the mandolin banjo (a niche hybrid tuned like a mandolin).
The banjo's drone string (the short fifth string) is unique among Western instruments, giving it its signature ringing sound. Another interesting fact is that the instrument has been a cultural symbol, from minstrel stereotypes to Appalachian authenticity to modern innovation. Today, the banjo is enjoying a renaissance, embraced by American, indie folk, and global fusion musicians.
Below, you will find various online resources for those interested in the banjo. However, e-commerce websites selling banjos and banjo-related content can be found in the Musical Instruments section of our Shopping & eCommerce area.
Recommended Resources
The American Banjo Fraternity is a membership organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the tradition of fingerstyle or "classic" banjo playing that flourished from the late 1850s through the early 20th century. The ABF traces its roots to the community of classic banjoists and historic performers such as Fred Van Eps and Alfred Farland, emphasizing the playing method originally called Guitar Style or Finger Style, played with bare fingertips. The advantages of joining are posted.
https://banjofraternity.org/
Formed in the late 1980s, the American Banjo Museum originated as the National Four-String Banjo Hall of Fame and later relocated to Oklahoma City, assuming its current name. It is dedicated to celebrating the history, cultural roots, and future of the banjo and houses a large collection of instruments and other artifacts. Its mission, an overview of its collections and exhibits, location, schedules, and programs are featured on its website. Membership data, schedules, and contacts are included.
https://americanbanjomuseum.com/
"Banjo" Ben Clark is a world-renowned performer, composer, and educator. He has taught banjo, guitar, and mandolin online for about a decade and has thousands of students in over forty countries. Monthly and annual memberships are described and available through the website. Its banjo learning tracks include beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. Beginners can start at the beginning and learn the fundamentals, progressing through the various levels. An online store is also available.
https://banjobenclark.com/
First appearing on the Internet Archive (Wayback Machine) in 2001, Banjo Hangout is a long-running online community for banjo players at all levels, offering discussion forums, classifieds, free tabs, MP3s, videos, lessons, and a "jukebox" for players to share resources and discuss banjo topics. The forum is read-only for non-members, but membership and a login are free, and the marketplace allows members to buy or sell banjos, parts, accessories, and gear.
https://www.banjohangout.org/
Powered by Ning, this is a community site for enthusiasts of classic-style banjo. The website features discussion forums, a music library, videos, photographs, member pages, events, and an extensive archive of historic recordings. Active tocket threads on repertoire, instruments, repairs, technique, transcriptions, and historical players are available through its forums, and its record library includes a large collection of digitized original recordings available to play or download.
https://classic-banjo.ning.com/
Types of Banjo (All Types, Differences & More)
Hosted on Producer Hive, a music production website, this article, published in 2022 and updated recently, discusses various types of banjos, including Resonator (Bluegrass), Open-Back (Clawhammer), Tenor, Plectrum, 6-String, Electric, and other banjos, such as Ukulele, Mandolin, Cello, and Bass. Included is a discussion of which type of banjo is the easiest to play, which is the most popular banjo brand, and what Clawhammer banjo playing is. Embedded videos are included for each.
https://producerhive.com/buyer-guides/acoustic-guitars/types-of-banjo/
