47 Rhiannon Giddens Quotes for You to Enjoy

Rhiannon Giddens

American Musician

Born: Feb 21, 1977

Black History Me Music People You

I've been getting interested in reimagining folk songs and writing songs that should have existed but didn't, particularly around the Civil War when black voices were muted and only allowed particular channels. Rhiannon Giddens

I'm not an urban black person. I'm a country black person. Rhiannon Giddens

Black Country Person Urban

I don't watch 'Game of Thrones.' I don't watch TV. I don't watch Hulu. Rhiannon Giddens

Game TV Hulu Game Of Thrones Watch

I'm so interested in the feminism of women in American music. These ladies, going out on the road, way before the opportunities and advantages that I have - it was absolutely rough out there. The fact that they were still able to get their art out there and do what they're doing is really impressive to me. Rhiannon Giddens

Music Art Me Women Opportunities Feminism Before Way Out Able Fact Absolutely Road Advantages Still Doing Were Impressive Get American Going Ladies Interested American Music Really Rough

Ibn Said's autobiography is an extraordinary work, and his story is one that's absolutely crucial to tell. Rhiannon Giddens

Work Extraordinary Tell Absolutely Crucial Said His Autobiography Story

I wouldn't be out here touring constantly if I didn't hope that my music was going to do something to somebody. Rhiannon Giddens

Hope Music Somebody Out Out Here Constantly Something Touring Going Here

My work as a whole is about excavating and shining a light on pieces of history that not only need to be seen and heard, but that can also add to the conversation about what's going on now. Rhiannon Giddens

Work History Conversation Light Seen Add About Only Pieces Also Heard Shining Going Whole Now Need

I would be thrilled with anybody who cites my work as something that inspired them. Rhiannon Giddens

Work Would Would-Be Something Thrilled Inspired Anybody Them Who

It's kind of remarkable, everything that's happened to me. It's been such a whirlwind, but in a good way. Rhiannon Giddens

Good Me Everything Way Kind Remarkable Good Way Been Happened Whirlwind

I remember so vividly the first time I saw one of Marshall Wyatt's superb compilations called 'Folks He Sure Do Pull Some Bow' and seeing a picture of a black fiddler and freaking out. I had stumbled upon the hidden legacy of the black string band and I wanted to know more. Rhiannon Giddens

Time Remember Black First Picture Band Saw String Hidden Out I Remember Folks Marshall Seeing Some Superb Vividly More Had He Stumbled Know Bow Sure First Time Legacy Wanted Fiddler Pull

African-American history is American history. Rhiannon Giddens

History American African-American American History

That was the special thing about the Carolina Chocolate Drops. We didn't want to do music full-time. We weren't looking to get rich, which is good, because we didn't. But we went further than we thought we would go. We started that band to celebrate Joe Thompson and the black string band music. That's not really a recipe for commercial success. Rhiannon Giddens

Success Music Good Celebrate Thought Black Looking Band Rich Recipe Thompson String Further Carolina Joe Would About Drops Because Go Were Commercial Than Commercial Success Get Want Which Chocolate Really Full-Time Special Thing Started

People who put Europe in the center of the universe, they're very fragile. Rhiannon Giddens

People Universe Put Very Center Who Europe Fragile

I love being on the road and I love my band, but also need to be with my kids more and I need to be creating more. Rhiannon Giddens

Love Band Kids I Love More Road Also Being Creating Need

The question is not how do we get diversity into bluegrass, but how do we get diversity back into bluegrass? Rhiannon Giddens

Diversity Back How Question Get Bluegrass

My dad's white, my mom's black, and I've struggled with being mixed race. Rhiannon Giddens

Mom Black White Struggled Mixed Being Race Dad

You know, I really feel a responsibility to the music, and I teach workshops in music sometimes. And folks do come to me and they go, 'How do I make this blues song my own? How do I feel like I'm not an impostor doing this?' And I'm like, 'That's an excellent question.' That's where you should start, where you go, 'How does this speak to me?' Rhiannon Giddens

Music Me You Song Speak Sometimes Responsibility Own I Feel I Feel Like Folks My Own Excellent Feel Come Like Know Make Does How Doing Go Question Blues Where Really Should Teach Workshops Start

When you hear composer, you think, like, Beethoven: guy in a powdered wig, at a piano, furiously scribbling on manuscript paper. That's not the only image that a composer should bring up, you know. But that's kind of what we've said it is. Rhiannon Giddens