All-American Banjo Has African Roots

From folk songs like “Oh Susannah” to its starring role in Bluegrass festivals, the banjo seems to be a quintessentially homegrown American instrument. However, as Colorado banjo virtuoso Jayme Stone has learned, this five-stringed wonder actually has roots half a world away - in Africa. VOA’s Adam Phillips profiles Stone and his exploration of what some say is the world’s most cheerful instrument.