The Shedd Institute is pleased to present The Carolina Chocolate Drops, a group of young African-American stringband musicians that have come to together to play the rich tradition of fiddle and banjo music in Carolina's Piedmont. The band draws its musical heritage from the foothills of the North and South Carolina. Under the tutelage of Joe Thompson, said to be the last black traditional string band player, of Mebane, NC, they strive to carry on the long standing traditional music of the black and white communities. Joe's musical heritage runs as deeply and fluidly as the many rivers and streams that traverse the North Carolina landscape. The Chocolate Drops are proud to carry on the tradition of black musicians like Odell and Nate Thompson, Dink Roberts, John Snipes, Libba Cotten, Emp White, and countless others who have passed beyond memory and recognition.