Honoring Black History: Bluegrass roots in Appalachia

The Appalachian region's rich musical history includes the influential contributions of Black musicians like Arnold Schultz and Al Watson.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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The Appalachian region is recognized as the birthplace of country music, but it also has deep roots in a distinct type of soul music. Bill Monroe, known as 'The Father of Bluegrass,' was heavily influenced by Black musician Arnold Schultz, who even gave Monroe his first job playing guitar. Before Monroe and Schultz, the Appalachian region had signs of bluegrass instruments like the Gourd Banjo dating back to the 1650s, a result of the integration between African Americans and European Americans. Today, artists like Amythyst Kiah are keeping the banjo and Black history in bluegrass alive.

Why it matters

The Appalachian region's musical heritage is often associated with white artists, but this story highlights the crucial contributions of Black musicians who helped shape the bluegrass genre. Recognizing this history is important for understanding the true diversity and origins of American roots music.

The details

Bill Monroe, widely recognized as 'The Father of Bluegrass,' was heavily influenced by a Black musician named Arnold Schultz, who even gave Monroe his first job playing guitar. Before Monroe and Schultz, the Appalachian region had signs of bluegrass instruments like the Gourd Banjo dating back to the 1650s, a result of the integration between African Americans and European Americans. Today, artists like Amythyst Kiah are keeping the banjo and Black history in bluegrass alive through projects like 'Songs of Our Native Daughters'.

  • The Appalachian region had signs of bluegrass instruments like the Gourd Banjo dating back to the 1650s.
  • The Bristol Sessions, which brought together one of the earliest known musical traditions and integrated them, took place in 1927.

The players

Bill Monroe

Widely recognized as 'The Father of Bluegrass.'

Arnold Schultz

An African American musician who played music in Kentucky in the area where Bill Monroe grew up, and even gave Monroe his first job playing guitar.

Amythyst Kiah

A Grammy-nominated musician keeping the banjo and Black history in bluegrass alive through projects like 'Songs of Our Native Daughters'.

Erika Barker

Curator of Exhibits and Outreach at The Birthplace of Country Music Museum.

Al Watson

An artist who produced Race Records, with some of his music being made at the Bristol Sessions in 1927.

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What they’re saying

“Bill Monroe often cites, sort of his two major influences on his music, as being his Uncle Penn and a man named Arnold Schultz.”

— Erika Barker, Curator of Exhibits and Outreach at The Birthplace of Country Music Museum (wjhl.com)

“When I learned about the banjo and learned about those origins, I felt like the banjo was a way for me to be able to be connected to the past and have some sort of connection to that.”

— Amythyst Kiah (wjhl.com)

“It's a project that is led by Rhiannon Giddens, who was the co-founder of the Grammy Award-winning Black string band, Carolina Chocolate Drops. Also, Allison Russell and Layla McCalla. But that project was about looking at the history of the transatlantic slave trade and Jim Crow, and using the archives of the National African-American History and Culture Museum to write songs about these things and also really incorporating the banjo and using it as a symbol for us to reclaim as being part of the Black experience.”

— Amythyst Kiah (wjhl.com)

The takeaway

This story highlights the rich and often overlooked history of Black musicians' contributions to the development of bluegrass and other American roots music genres in the Appalachian region. By recognizing these important influences, we can gain a more complete understanding of the diverse origins and evolution of American music.