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Abigail Washburn

American Clawhammer Banjo Player and Singer

  Categories:
Arts & Humanities, 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.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Abigail Washburn and other top speakers and celebrities.

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FAQs

  • HOW TO BOOK Abigail Washburn?

    Our booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure talent like Abigail Washburn for both live and virtual events for over 15 years. The team at All American Entertainment represents and listens to the needs of organizations and corporations seeking to hire keynote speakers, celebrities or entertainers for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment. Fill out a booking request form for Abigail Washburn, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get pricing information and check availability for Abigail Washburn or any other celebrity of your choice.

  • HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO BOOK Abigail Washburn?

    Speaking fees for Abigail Washburn, or any other keynote speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The amount that Abigail Washburn charges to speak often varies according to the circumstances, including their schedule, market conditions, length of presentation, and the location of the event. The speaker fees listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only. In some cases, the actual quote may be above or below the stated range. For the most current fee to hire Abigail Washburn, please fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak with an experienced booking agent.

  • WHO IS THE AGENT FOR Abigail Washburn?

    All American Entertainment has successfully secured celebrity talent like Abigail Washburn for clients worldwide for more than 15 years. As a full-service talent 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. Fill out the booking request form 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.

  • WHAT IS A FULL-SERVICE TALENT BOOKING AGENCY?

    All American Speakers is a "buyers agent" and exclusively represents talent buyers, meeting planners and event professionals, who are looking to secure celebrities and speakers for personal appearances, speaking engagements, corporate entertainment, public relations campaigns, commercials, or endorsements. We do not exclusively represent Abigail Washburn or claim ourselves as the exclusive booking agency, business manager, publicist, speakers bureau or management for Abigail Washburn or any other speaker or celebrity on this website. For more information on how we work and what makes us unique, please read the AAE Advantage.
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Users also viewed these speakers:

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

Abigail Washburn

American Clawhammer Banjo Player and Singer

Travels From:
Nashville, TN, USA
Speaking Fee:
Live Event: Please Contact
Virtual Event: Please Contact
More Fee Info
Categories:
Arts & Humanities, Music

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.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Abigail Washburn and other top speakers and celebrities.

BOOK Abigail Washburn

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
See All Videos »

FAQs on booking Abigail Washburn

  • How to book Abigail Washburn?

    Our booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure talent like Abigail Washburn for both live and virtual events for over 20 years. The team at All American Entertainment represents and listens to the needs of organizations and corporations seeking to hire keynote speakers, celebrities or entertainers for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment. Fill out a booking request form for Abigail Washburn, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get pricing information and check availability for Abigail Washburn or any other celebrity of your choice.

  • How much does it cost to book Abigail Washburn?

    Speaking fees for Abigail Washburn, or any other keynote speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The amount that Abigail Washburn charges to speak often varies according to the circumstances, including their schedule, market conditions, length of presentation, and the location of the event. The speaker fees listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only. In some cases, the actual quote may be above or below the stated range. For the most current fee to hire Abigail Washburn, please fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak with an experienced booking agent.

  • Who is the agent for Abigail Washburn?

    All American Entertainment has successfully secured celebrity talent like Abigail Washburn for clients worldwide for more than 20 years. As a full-service talent 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. Fill out the booking request form 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.

  • What is a full-service talent booking agency?

    All American Speakers is a "buyers agent" and exclusively represents talent buyers, meeting planners and event professionals, who are looking to secure celebrities and speakers for personal appearances, speaking engagements, corporate entertainment, public relations campaigns, commercials, or endorsements. We do not exclusively represent Abigail Washburn or claim ourselves as the exclusive booking agency, business manager, publicist, speakers bureau or management for Abigail Washburn or any other speaker or celebrity on this website. For more information on how we work and what makes us unique, please read the AAE Advantage.

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, Megan Smith, Lori Cheek, Patty Griffin and Mumford and Sons. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Abigail Washburn for an upcoming live or virtual event.

BOOK Abigail Washburn

Abigail Washburn Speaker 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
BOOK Abigail Washburn

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Speakers Similar to Abigail Washburn

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

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