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2006 Dona Got a Ramblin Mind 2007 The Great Debaters Soundtrack (with Alvin Youngblood Hart, Sharon Jones and Teenie Hodges)
2008 Heritage 2009 Joe Thompson and The Carolina Chocolate Drops 2010 Genuine Negro Jig
Band:
Formed in November 2005 following the members' attendance at the Black Banjo Gathering in Boone, North Carolina, The group has three members: Rhiannon Giddens, Dom Flemons, and Justin Robinson, who were all in their twenties when the group formed.[1] All of the musicians sing, and trade instruments including banjo, fiddle, guitar, harmonica, snare drum, bones, jug, and kazoo. (Source Wikipedia)
The band name is a tribute to the original Chocolate Drops.
An introduction to the Band:
Dom playing the jug and bones:
Playing with their biggest influence (slash mentor):
Rhiannon sings Gaelic:
I have not seen the group live, yet. I will catch them in May at a folk festival prior to Roo. For now let's say it will be a foot tapping, energetic set that will amaze folks who have not seen artists use this variety of instruments.
What others have said:
March 9th, 2010 Rolling Stone Source: Rolling Stone
The Carolina Chocolate Drops - banjo player Dom Flemons and fiddlers Rhiannon Giddens and Justin Robinson (they all sing and juggle guitar, Autoharp and percussion)- reignite a vintage outsider music: the early-20th-century jump and lamentation of early black country string bands from North Carolina's piedmont region. The Drops' marvelous new record has a proud and true title, "Genuine Negro Jig" (Nonesuch) and features exuberant treatments of antique party favors like "Cornbread and Butterbeans" and "Papa". Charlie Jackson's 1926 shuffle "Your Baby Ain't Sweet Like Mine." But, the Drops formed in 2005, are modern souls with a wider sense of roots. Giddens, who sang opera in college, delivers the revenge in Blu Cantrell's "Hit 'Em Up Style" with steely, cutting force. And while the Drops play music that first came to American in slave ships, the Celtic air that haunts the plaintive fiddles in "Snowden Jig (Genuine Negro Jig)" is a sly reminder that for most new arrivals here, life started at the bottom.
March 9th, 2010 Billboard Source: Billboard
Old time string trio, Carolina Chocolate Drops makes its second appearance on top Bluegrass Albums where "Genuine Negro Jig" becomes the acts first No. 1 with 3,000 copies sold. The threesome previously charted with "Dona Got a Ramblin' Mind" peaking at No. 7 on the July 21, 2007, chart. The band is the only African-American act to appear on the Bluegrass list since its introduction eight years ago. In 2008, the Drops became the first African-American string band to appear on the Grand Ole Opry since the show debuted in 1925.
Awesome job, crewfan. I absolutely love this band. I've seen 'em several times but wouldn't mind at all to see them again.
Hit Em Up With Style
When I heard this song for the first time, I knew that Blu Cantrell had a huge hit on her hands. When I heard CCDs interpretation I couldn't get over how amazing Rhiannons voice is.
If you haven't seen CCD and you remotely wanna get into bluegrass, I couldn't suggest a better band to start with.
Thank you. I agree with you on Rhiannon's voice. Those opera lessons have paid off in a big way. I look forward to the set at ROO and I may try to catch them in OH in May.
A Thieve's Parade 2/24 Conspirator 2/26 Kevin Smith 3/11 Keller 3/17 Papadosio 3/18 JJ Grey 3/25 Bela Fleck/Edgar Meyer 3/26 Toubab Krewe 3/27 O'Death 4/11 Budos Band 4/22 EOTO 4/28 Summer Camp 5/6-29 All Good
Awesome job, crewfan. I absolutely love this band. 
