Music Video

Carolina Chocolate Drops play instruments in the Smithsonian collection

March 2017

It was a magical moment for staff when members of the Carolina Chocolate Drops performed on authentic instruments in the museum's collection. (Note that we maintain most of our instruments in playable condition and try to have them played from time to time because this enhances their preservation.) In this video shot in one of our collection storage rooms, Rhiannon Giddens performs "Snowden's Jig" on a late 18th century violin accompanied by Dom Flemons on the bones.