Smithsonian Folkways is proud to announce that Jerron Paxton has signed with the label for his next, long-awaited full-length release, due out in 2024.
Paxton joins Folkways contemporaries such as Dom Flemons, Jake Blount, Our Native Daughters and others exploring the diverse roots of Black folk music in America and highlighting its continued importance and influence.
Paxton is a skilled interpreter of Black traditional music, having spent his life learning the multifaceted musical dialects of blues, old-time, ragtime, and Cajun music and playfully dressing them up in their brightest hues. He is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, banjo, piano, fiddle and other instruments with deep histories and ties to Black American music — each with a master’s touch.
Born in South Central Los Angeles into a family steeped in Southern music and culture, he has been based in New York City for nearly his entire adult life. He has appeared on the covers of The Village Voice and Living Blues and has earned praise from numerous other publications. The Bluegrass Situation captures Paxton’s holistic approach to his craft: “He is not merely a preservationist mining bygone decades for esoteric material or works that fit a certain aesthetic or brand. He simply takes music that is significant to his identity, his culture, and his experience and showcases it for a broader audience.”
More Listings MORE
The Music Is Black: A British Story – Exhibition
The Music Is Black: A British Story is a major cultural exhibition opening at V&A East Museum, offering…
The Brent Reggae Album Covers Exhibition 2026
BBM/BMC (BritishBlackMusic.com /Black Music Congress) presents in association with BTWSC/African Histories Revisited and Brent Museum and Archives: The…
The Roads We Walked: The Fifth Pan-African Congress
Discover the story of one of the most significant moments in the global struggle for freedom and independence…
Disney’s High School Musical
Celebrating 20 years since Disney’s High School Musical became a global phenomenon, the Wildcats are heading back to…
The Story
A gripping newsroom drama by Tracey Scott Wilson, The Story makes its UK premiere at the National Theatre,…
Harold Offeh – The Mothership Collective 2:0
Artist Harold Offeh transforms Tramway’s front gallery into a playful science-fiction environment exploring Afrofuturism, identity and the possibility…
Aurie Styla: Maverick
Join award-winning comedian, actor and writer Aurie Styla for his brand-new stand-up show Maverick, coming to Bristol Old…
Book Launch: Black Britain & Nelson Mandela – Pulling the Branch of a Tree
Explore the relationship between Black Britain, Nelson Mandela and the international struggle against apartheid at this special book…