Dom Flemons

A roots-oriented performer steeped in Americana, folk traditions, banjo techniques, blues forms, and jug-band repertoire, Dom Flemons first attracted widespread notice in the late 2000s through his role in the Grammy-winning old-time string band the Carolina Chocolate Drops. While still active with that ensemble he launched independent projects under the persona of the “American Songster,” the same title borne by his 2008 solo release, and began concentrating on early American vernacular styles that incorporated such uncommon instruments as the bones, quills, and pan pipes. Upon departing the Carolina Chocolate Drops in 2012 he intensified his individual efforts, maintaining a steady touring schedule and issuing meticulously documented recordings that included the 2014 album Prospect Hill, the 2018 Smithsonian Folkways collection Black Cowboys exploring the contributions of Black pioneers in the American West, and the 2023 release Traveling Wildfire.

Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Flemons absorbed his parents’ collection of vintage R&B during childhood. Already a capable guitarist and harmonica player by his teenage years, he broadened his listening to encompass Bob Dylan, the Beatles, and Chuck Berry while also investigating foundational figures of American roots music such as Woody Guthrie, Tom Paxton, and Jack Elliott. After secondary school he enrolled at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, performing locally and frequently busking on the streets. There he encountered the seasoned percussionist, banjoist, and folklorist Sule Greg Wilson, whose résumé included work with Nigerian master drummer Babatunde Olatunji as well as Piedmont blues luminaries fiddler Joe Thompson and guitarist and vocalist Algia Mae Hinton. Wilson served as a guiding influence, refining Flemons’ technique and deepening his grasp of blues and folk history.

At Wilson’s urging, Flemons traveled in 2005 to the Black Banjo Gathering, a four-day event honoring the African, Afro-Caribbean, and Black roots of banjo music. During the gathering he connected with fellow enthusiasts vocalist and banjoist Rhiannon Giddens and vocalist and violinist Justin Robinson. Drawing inspiration from their shared festival experience, the three musicians established the Carolina Chocolate Drops, which went on to issue acclaimed recordings such as the 2006 album Dona Got a Ramblin’ Mind, the 2010 set Genuine Negro Jig, and the 2012 release Leaving Eden. As a solo artist Flemons maintained an active performing and recording schedule, issuing his debut Dance Tunes Ballads & Blues in 2007 and collaborating with guitarist Boo Hanks on the album Buffalo Junction. Following his amicable exit from the Carolina Chocolate Drops in 2012 he concentrated anew on solo material, delivering Prospect Hill via Fat Possum in 2014. Subsequent years brought increased visibility through performances at Carnegie Hall for a Lead Belly tribute and at the opening ceremonies of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. In 2016 Flemons partnered with British guitarist Martin Simpson for the album Selection of Ever Popular Favourites. His 2018 effort Black Cowboys, issued as part of Smithsonian Folkways’ African American Legacy Recordings series, spotlighted the experiences of Black pioneers in the West. An expanded reissue of Prospect Hill appeared in 2020, incorporating the previously scarce What Got Over EP alongside additional instrumentals. Flemons returned in 2023 with Traveling Wildfire, an album blending traditional and original material shaped by his own travels and the enduring transmission of folk music across generations; produced by Tedd Hutt, the record featured appearances by progressive bluegrass veteran Sam Bush and James Fearnley of the Pogues.