The Ebony Hillbillies

Whether they’re playing for thousands of people at Carnegie Hall or a handful of curious passersby on the subway platform at Grand Central Station, The Ebony Hillbillies bring history alive with the still-vibrant sound of Americana.

As one of the last black string bands in the U.S.—currently based in the concrete hills of NYC—the Hillbillies keep an important legacy alive with a rootsy, homegrown style that many forget was a key element in the genesis of all the music we cherish as uniquely American—jazz, blues, bluegrass, rockabilly, rock and roll and country. Bringing a fresh urgency to the genre for a 21st Century world in need of some deep musical education, the ensemble led by Henrique Prince (fiddle, vocals) and Norris Bennett (banjo, mountain dulcimer, guitar, vocals)– featuring Gloria Thomas Gassaway on vocals and bones, William “Salty Bill” Salter on acoustic bass with A.R. and Newman Taylor Baker on washboard and percussion–creates an untamed and joyful vibe that echoes across the generations and transcends all racial and cultural boundaries.

$24 ($27 at the door); $21 Member ($24); $11 under 19