BY DAWN BAUMGARTNER VAUGHAN

dvaughan@heraldsun.com; 419-6563

DURHAM — Carolina water drops rained down Aug. 27 on the outdoor concert of the Carolina Chocolate Drops at American Tobacco in Durham. But the band kept playing and the audience didn’t leave. A little rain isn’t enough to deter fans of the African-American old-time string band that came up in our Piedmont.

A third of the trio lives in Durham — fiddler Justin Robinson. Banjo player Rhiannon Giddens lives in Greensboro, and guitar and jug player Dom Flemons moved to New York City last year from Chapel Hill. All three of them provide vocals, too, and a bit more — Robinson also plays the jug, Giddens the kazoo. But their roots as a band sprouted in the home of Joe Thompson, 90, of Mebane. It was there at the figurative knee of the African-American old-time fiddler that the band formed and learned what has brought them a full tour schedule, CDs, a new record deal and success. The 2008 performance of Thompson and the Carolina Chocolate Drops at Merlefest has just been released on CD by Music Maker Recordings.

Track two, before the band was joined by Thompson and then Sule Greg Wilson and Bob Carlin, is “Corn Bread & Butter Beans,” which they performed at their recent American Tobacco show. They also played a version of Blu Cantrell’s “Hit ‘Em Up Style.” Before they set up for the evening show, the band talked to The Herald-Sun.

Robinson, Giddens and Flemons met at Black Banjo, a gathering in Boone. They started visiting Thompson and learned his repertoire. Robinson said that Thompson, like his grandfather, is from a generation that doesn’t heap a lot of praise on students. But Thompson kept inviting them back, and started referring to them as his band. That’s how the Chocolate Drops knew he liked them. They often performed as backup with Thompson, one of the last known African-American old-time musicians. The band doesn’t see Thompson quite as often now, but still plays with him sometimes.

Giddens had a baby girl in April, the same month the band signed with Nonesuch Records. The band is just now gearing up for its tour, and was glad to perform in Durham, “where good people come out” to its shows, Flemons said.

“It feels really good to have played lots of places in the country and Europe, get a record deal and come back and play the hometown,” Giddens said.

Flemons said this is a time when old time music is seeing a resurgence in interest, especially among 18- to 25 year-olds. Flemons said that four months into forming the band five years ago, he knew it would be a success by the response from people.

“It’s like doing Shakespeare. The material is already good. If you perform it well, all the better,” he said. “And the interest is growing.”

“It’s not just us,” Giddens said. “We’re just in the wave. People our age are actually into it. We’re part of a whole movement, really. Any exposure we get helps the old-time community in general.” Giddens is 32, Robinson is 26, and Flemons just turned 27 on Sunday.

Giddens said their generation had to go out and find the music. “We need the next generation to grow up with it again as just normal music,” she said.

“They can take it wherever they need to,” said Robinson, noting that old-time has been blended with different music styles. Giddens said there’s a sister duo that performs old-time and hip-hop together.

“It’s already happening on a small scale. The challenge is on a large scale,” she said. “We want the music to go where it’s going to go. As long as we’re true to ourselves.”

“That’s all we can ask for,” Robinson said.

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WHAT: Carolina Chocolate Drops with John Dee Holeman and Greg Humphreys

WHEN: 8:30 p.m.

WHERE: Cat’s Cradle, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro

Tickets: $15

ON THE WEB: www.catscradle.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION: 967-9053