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Abigail Washburn

Abigail Washburn

American Clawhammer Banjo Player and Singer

Travels From Travels From:
Nashville, TN, USA
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Categories Categories:
Entrepreneurship, Music
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Abigail Washburn Biography

If American old-time music is about taking earlier, simpler ways of life and music-making as one’s model, Abigail Washburn has proven herself to be a bracing revelation to that tradition.

She—a singing, songwriting, Illinois-born, Nashville-based clawhammer banjo player—is every bit as interested in the present and the future as she is in the past, and every bit as attuned to the global as she is to the local. Abigail pairs venerable folk elements with far-flung sounds, and the results feel both strangely familiar and unlike anything anybody’s ever heard before. To put it another way, she changes what seems possible.

One fateful day eight years ago, Washburn was miraculously offered a record deal in the halls of a bluegrass convention in Kentucky which changed her trajectory from becoming a lawyer in China to a traveling folk musician. Since then, Abigail has been recording and touring a continuous stream of music. Her music ranges from the "all-g'earl" string band sound of Uncle Earl to her bi-lingual solo release "Song of the Traveling Daughter" (2005), to the mind-bending “chamber roots” sound of the Sparrow Quartet, to the rhythms, sounds and stories of "Afterquake," her fundraiser CD for the Sichuan earthquake victims. Her latest release, '"City of Refuge" (2011), written with collaborator Kai Welch, takes her bold and expansive musical vision to new heights with enigmatic songs that "mingle Appalachia and folk-pop, with tinges of Asia and Bruce Springsteen" (Jon Pareles, The New York Times).

Having toured the world, Washburn is also armed with Chinese language ability and profound connections to culture and people on the other side of the Pacific. Washburn is one of the few foreign artists currently touring China independently and regularly. She completed a month-long tour (Nov-Dec 2011) of China's Silk Road supported by grants from the US Embassy, Beijing.

Abigail, along with 24 other innovative and creative thinkers worldwide, was named a TED fellow and gave a talk at the 2012 TED Convention in Long Beach about building US-China relations through music. In March of 2013, she was commissioned by New York Voices and the NY Public Theater to write and debut a theatrical work titled "Post-American Girl," which draws from her 17-year relationship with China and addresses themes of expanding identity, cultural relativism, pilgrimage, the universal appeal of music and opening the heart big enough to fold it all in. Abigail was recently named the first US-China Fellow at Vanderbilt University. Her efforts to share US music in China and Chinese music in the US exist within a hope that cultural understanding and the communal experience of beauty and sound rooted in tradition will lead the way to a richer existence.

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Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 12/16/2024.

Abigail Washburn Videos

  • Abigail Washburn: Building US-China relations ... by banjo
    Abigail Washburn: Building US-China relations ... by banjo
  • NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert: Abigail Washburn - YouTube
    NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert: Abigail Washburn - YouTube
  • American Global South: Abigail Washburn at TEDxUNC - YouTube
    American Global South: Abigail Washburn at TEDxUNC - YouTube
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FAQs on booking Abigail Washburn

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  • What are the speaker fees for Abigail Washburn

    Speaking fees for Abigail Washburn, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Abigail Washburn are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Abigail Washburn, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

  • What topics does Abigail Washburn speak about?

    Abigail Washburn is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Entrepreneurship, Music.

  • Where does Abigail Washburn travel from?

    Abigail Washburn generally travels from Nashville, TN, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.

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    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Abigail Washburn for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Abigail Washburn for your next private or corporate function.

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Abigail Washburn is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Abigail Washburn for your event is available upon request. Abigail Washburn generally travels from Nashville, TN, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Johnnyswim, Victoria Beckham, Megan Smith, Lori Cheek and Patty Griffin. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Abigail Washburn for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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