Minstrel Music

Minstrel Music:  A combination of Celtic and African American musical techniques, Minstrel music is the source for many different forms of music. It paved the way for different venues such as Bluegrass, Ragtime, the Blues and many more.

The Minstrel music craze started in the 1830s when Joel Sweeney came up with the concept of a five-string banjo. This banjo became the base of all minstrel music. The original instrument used to play minstrel music was the violin. Plantation owners would send any men they had who possessed musical talent to renowned cities to learn how to play Celtic music. This talent was showcased at cotillions and parties. When the men were not playing for their owners, they would put their own African musical influence in with the Irish. This music was overheard, copied by "black faced" minstrels and started the craze of minstrel shows.

Today, the music is still very popular and performed (without black face) at bluegrass and folk festivals as well as concerts.

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