The inviting banjo intro in Beyonce’s new single, “Texas Hold ‘Em,” is played by none other than Rhiannon Giddens. Giddens continues on banjo and viola throughout the track.
Variety’s statement on the song and Giddens’ feature as follows: “There’s one more thing that seems likely to be a throughline through this project, and it’s the idea of “country” music as Black music. As if that weren’t already probable from her inclinations to date, it’s crystal-clear from the inclusion of Rhiannon Giddens as a guest instrumentalist on “Texas Hold ‘Em” playing banjo and viola. Giddens has been the leading educator in the nation in making the public aware that the banjo was a Black instrument before it became a white one, and Beyoncé would hardly be unaware of that righteous crusade in picking her for this project, whether it turns out to be on just one song or for a wider swath of the album.”
Listen to “Texas Hold ‘Em” HERE:
For more info and upcoming tour dates for Rhiannon Giddens visit her artist page here.