20 Black Voices for the New Century: The Carolina Chocolate Drops are a powerhouse collective that formed in 2005 to bring light to the African American string band tradition.

Originally a trio with founding members Rhiannon Giddens, Dom Fleming and fiddle player Justin Robbins the band is now a four piece including cellist Malcolm Parson and multi-instrumentalist Rowan Corbett.  Along the way the band spun off the extraordinary singer and  singer and cellist Leyla MacCalla who has a new album, where she puts the words of poet Langston Hughes to her music.

What is exciting about all this for the future is the support Chocolate Drops format gives to these artists who are looking back and forging ahead at the same time.

Read more in the series: Twenty Black Voices