My Music with Rhiannon Giddens celebrates America’s rich and varied musical traditions and their modern offshoots through engaging performances and conversations. This new series is produced by the Will and Deni McIntyre Foundation, the creative force behind the long-running PBS series David Holt’s State of Music. Presented by PBS North Carolina and distributed nationally through PBS Plus, My Music with Rhiannon Giddens will roll out to broadcast and streaming services for seven weeks of new episodes beginning the week of May 1, 2023.
In seven half-hour episodes, Grammy winner and MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient Rhiannon Giddens hosts musical performances and conversations with exceptional guest artists filmed on location around the South. Conservatory educated and with deep roots in traditional music, Giddens has far-ranging musical interests and is passionate about her mentors, inspirations and the ongoing relevance of folk music to modern issues.
“It’s thrilling to host a new PBS series that celebrates the intersection of music and storytelling,” says host Rhiannon Giddens. “I’m joined by some amazing artists—fellow collaborators, chosen family and friends—who have forged unconventional paths to find their voices. I hope you’ll be a part of this new journey with me—this is only the beginning!”
“In addition to being a massively talented performer, Rhiannon is a music scholar whose understanding extends well beyond genre boundaries,” says director Deni McIntyre. “In this series, she shares not only her talent but also her vision of America’s diverse musical legacy.”
Guests this season include singer-songwriter and activist Allison Russell; country music artist and artist advocate Rissi Palmer; Indigenous Lumbee/Tuscarora singer Charly Lowry; Southern gothic blues artist Adia Victoria; virtuoso guitarist and singer Joy Clark; Giddens’ life partner and collaborator Francesco Turrisi; Carolina Chocolate Drops cofounder Justin Robinson; Giddens’ sister, singer Lalenja Harrington; and longtime friend, singer-songwriter Laurelyn Dossett.
“Rhiannon Giddens is a North Carolina treasure,” says Rachel Raney, PBS North Carolina’s Director of National Productions. “We’re thrilled to bring her new series to PBS viewers around the country and introduce our devoted arts audience to these inspiring musicians.”
Schedule
Below is a full list of episodes airing as part of season 1. Watch the preview.
Episode 1: Friends in Music
Thursday, May 4, at 9:30 PM (Stream beginning Monday, May 1)
Rhiannon Giddens shares a musical visit with three lifelong friends: Justin Robinson, cofounder of the groundbreaking Black string band Carolina Chocolate Drops; her sister, singer Lalenja Harrington; and singer-songwriter Laurelyn Dossett.
Episode 2: Allison Russell
Thursday, May 11, at 9:30 PM (Stream beginning Monday, May 8)
Rhiannon Giddens shares a musical visit with longtime friend Allison Russell, the Canadian singer-songwriter and activist whose album Outside Child has received three Grammy nominations and many international accolades.
Episode 3: Rissi Palmer
Thursday, May 18, at 9:30 PM (Stream beginning Monday, May 15)
Rhiannon Giddens visits Rissi Palmer, a passionate voice for country music artists of color and those who have been marginalized by the mainstream music establishment. Palmer performs her first hit song, “Country Girl,” and 2019’s “Seeds.”
Episode 4: Charly Lowry
Thursday, May 25, 9:30 PM (Stream beginning Monday, May 22)
Charly Lowry is a singer-songwriter of Lumbee/Tuscarora descent whose Native American roots and experiences inform her music. Rhiannon Giddens visits Lowry’s tribal homeland of Robeson County, North Carolina, for songs and conversation.
Episode 5: Adia Victoria
Thursday, June 1, at 9:30 PM (Stream beginning Monday, May 29)
Indie artist Adia Victoria grew up not far from Nina Simone’s childhood home in Tryon, North Carolina. Rhiannon Giddens meets her there to share music and hear stories about her strict religious upbringing and her self-discovery through the blues.
Episode 6: Joy Clark
Thursday, June 8, at 9:30 PM (Stream beginning Monday, June 5)
New Orleans native Joy Clark is a lyrical guitarist and rising singer-songwriter on the Americana music scene. She and Rhiannon Giddens share music and talk about her religious upbringing and her lifelong love affair with the guitar.
Episode 7: Francesco Turrisi
Thursday, June 15, at 9:30 PM (Stream beginning Monday, June 12)
Rhiannon Giddens sits down with her partner and collaborator, Italian multi-instrumentalist Francesco Turrisi, for a look back at their meeting, the discovery of their musical affinities and their shared vision of musical heritage that crosses borders.
About Rhiannon Giddens
Rhiannon Giddens is an acclaimed American musician known for folk music. She most recently won a Grammy Award for Best Folk Album for They’re Calling Me Home, which she made with multi-instrumentalist Francesco Turrisi. Giddens is a two-time Grammy Award winner and eight-time nominee for her work as a soloist and collaborator. She has performed for the Obamas at the White House and wrote the music for the touring ballet Lucy Negro Redux. Her original opera, Omar, premiered at the Spoleto USA Festival in 2022. She curated a four-concert Perspectives series as part of Carnegie Hall’s 2022–2023 season, and she currently serves as artistic director of Silkroad Ensemble, which was founded in 2000 by cellist Yo-Yo Ma with a mission to promote cross-cultural collaboration. Her lifelong mission is to lift up people whose contributions to American musical history have previously been neglected, and to work toward a more accurate understanding of our musical origins.
