Carolina Chocolate Drops

The Carolina Chocolate Drops, formed in Durham, North Carolina, in 2005, are an American folk band featuring Rhiannon Giddens on banjo, Dom Flemons on banjo and guitar, and Justin Robinson on fiddle. Their first release, the EP Dona Got a Ramblin' Mind (2006), established their blend of Piedmont old‑time and African‑American musical traditions. The group followed with Heritage (2007), Carolina Chocolate Drops & Joe Thompson (2009), and Genuine Negro Jig (2010), which won the 2011 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album. Subsequent albums Carolina Chocolate Drops / Luminescent Orchestrii (2011) and Leaving Eden (2012) expanded their repertoire, while collaborations with Buddy Miller and Leyla McCalla enriched their sound. The band ceased regular touring in 2014, with members pursuing solo projects; a 2025 reunion at the Biscuits & Banjos Festival marked a brief return.