[Dixielandjazz] Banjo, historically African?

[DWSI at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/26/2006 3:21:40 PM Eastern Standard Time,  
dixielandjazz-request at ml.islandnet.com writes:

Perhaps  we need to explain this bit of banjo history at gigs? :-)  VBG.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone



Steve: 
 
Please enlighten me on this one. I had read somewhere that the two types of  
banjos had different origins. The 4-string was African, string over a gord  
origins, but the 5-string came out of the SE mountains settled by Scots. The 5th 
 string was supposed to be the drone, and used to simulate a bagpipe. Is this 
all  wrong?

Dan (Backup pianoman) Spink