Banjo maker Jim Hartel on the African heritage of the banjo

Banjo maker Jim Hartel shows us old banjos, derived from instruments made by African slaves, plays the minstrel tune “Jim Along Josie,” and tells about turn-of-the-century banjo models and playing styles. Bonus video from the MUSIC episode. PBS premiere November 20, 2015. (check local listings.)

Archival Courtesy of Bettmann/Corbis, Library of Congress/Mary Cassatt/Harris & Ewing, H. Armstrong Roberts, Carl Fleischhauer, V.G. Schreck.