Sitting on Top of the World

Authors

Shardé Thomas

Document Type

Video

Publication Date

2-22-2022

Disciplines

African American Studies | Ethnomusicology

Abstract

Born in North Mississippi, Shardé Thomas is the granddaughter of the late Otha Turner, a highly recognized and studied fife player. Shardé is the heir of her grandfather’s musical legacy and serves as the lead vocalist, fife player, and manager of the Rising Stars Fife & Drum band. Mississippi fife and drum music originated in Africa and was prevalent during slavery and the civil war. The fife and drum music Shardé plays today preserves the traditional concept and serves the same purpose, but she and her band have also stretched the genre, creating greater complexity by adding more percussion, corps style drumming techniques, faster tempos, and popular melodies. Each member of the band brings an expertise to the ensemble as they work together to create a fresh sound based on a centuries-old tradition.

Relational Format

video recording

Recommended Citation

Thomas, Shardé, "Sitting on Top of the World" (2022). TEDxUM. 76.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/tedx/76

Accessibility Status

Audio or Video Captioning