Rhiannon Giddens is co-founder of the Grammy-winning stringband Carolina Chocolate Drops, who performed during the inaugural year of the Charles H. Morris Center in 2008. In her second festival appearance, Giddens played with her band to a packed house at Ships of the Sea during SMF 2016. Her career continues to soar as she recently was named a 2017 MacArthur Fellow (“Genius Grant”) for “reclaiming African-American contributions to folk and country music and bringing to light new connections between music from the past and the present.” In the summer of 2017, this Oberlin-trained opera singer, whose musical makeup consists of extensive
folk music influences and deep knowledge of the black string band tradition, was the only artist invited to perform at both the Newport Folk Festival and the Newport Jazz Festival on consecutive weekends. She continues to elevate her artistry with fresh material, making this Lucas Theatre performance a must see!