Musician bridges American heartland, Silk Road

Abigail Washburn and Bela Fleck. Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn

Armed with her banjo and American folk songs, Washburn began to perform in China in 2003 and would go there once or twice a year ever after.

In 2011, with a grant from the US embassy in Beijing, she embarked on a tour with a band that would cover Lanzhou, Hohhot, Urumqi and Lhasa.

"I felt in a sense married to China," Washburn said, laughing.

During the tour, Washburn played at many schools and public venues, many times with local musicians from different ethnic backgrounds on the same stage.

Back in the US, she would introduce Chinese folk songs to her American audiences.

"I probably have done a thousand shows, it's rare that I don't do something in Chinese or sing a Chinese folk song," she said.

"It's really special to see the reaction of the audience to the Chinese material. They really love it. A lot of them don't speak Chinese, and maybe don't even know much about China," she continued, finishing her sentence with the humming of a Chinese song.

She said she is excited to be invited to go to China and perform at the upcoming World Economic Forum in Dalian in June.

Washburn had started performing in cities along the ancient Silk Road before the Belt and Road Initiative, a multinational economic and cultural collaboration along the old Silk Road and beyond, was proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013.

"I'd love to be part of the One Belt and One Road Initiative," she said.

At the upcoming performance in Chicago, Washburn will be joined by her husband, banjo player Bele Fleck, and they will play bluegrass music. The concert will feature selections from their album that won the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Folk Album; new music, Appalachian ballads, gospel, chamber and blues.

"Of course I'll sing a Chinese song," Washburn said.

"Tai Yang Chu Lai Xi Yang Yang," she said was the song, in fluent Chinese.

Upon request, she said the title in English: "The sun has come out, and we are so happy."