Hello I'm Beryl Dakers.

Welcome to this special edition of Palmetto Scene.

In tonight's episode, we revisit the Grammy Award winning group Ranky Tanky.

Before the pandemic, this Charleston based ensemble delighted audiences across the globe with their Gullah influenced jazz rhythms.

Tonight, we reprise our conversation with the group on their music and it's Gullah roots.

♪ [trumpet solo] ♪ ♪ [guitar joins] ♪ [Anita Prather singing] Oh Freedom, Freedom, what dat be?

You can't change we mind!

You can't change we heart, you can't change we soul, even when you change we has freedom.

Freedom say my soul is free!

Freedom say my spirit is free!

Freedom say my mind is free!

That be freedom!

♪ ♪ ♪ Take our homes, take our names behind four walls is ♪ ♪ where we'll remain.

Take or dreams, pull us apart.

♪ ♪ They'll never know our strength, ♪ ♪ they'll never know our hearts.

♪ ♪ We want freedom, we want freedom!

♪ ♪ We want freedom, we want freedom!

♪ ♪ Take our bread, they take our schools.

♪ ♪ they say that our only ch oice is to play their fool.

♪ ♪ Take our land.

Oh, take our rights , ♪ ♪ but they'll never know our power, ♪ ♪ we'll put up the fight.

♪ ♪ We want freedom, ♪ ♪ we want freedom.

We want freedom, we want freedom.

♪ ♪ [trumpet solo] ♪ ♪ Show your purpose.

Show your might.

♪ ♪ W e're gonna show all the reasons, ♪ ♪ what's right is right.

♪ ♪ Break these walls.

Oh, break these chains, ♪ ♪ my trouble won't last always when only God remains.

♪ ♪ We want freedom.

We want freedom!

♪ ♪ We want freedom.

We want freedom!

♪ ♪ We want freedom.

We want freedom!

♪ ♪ We want freedom.

We want freedom!

$ ♪ Oh say, can you see, we ain't free!

Yeah!

♪ ♪ Oh say, can you see, ♪ ♪ Oh, we ain't free!

Hey!

♪ ♪ Oh say, ♪ can you see, we ain't free!

Yeah!

♪ [applause] <speaker> And the Grammy goes to "Good Time" Ranky Tanky.

<Beryl> They've taken the music world by storm as ambassadors of the Gullah culture and they've racked up a Grammy for their first recorded album.

Tonight, we'll meet Ranky Tanky, South Carolina's own.

<Charlton> Highest praise to God, the giver of all gifts and all things good.

It's an honor to be here to stand on the shoulders of our Gullah ancestry and bring this music and message to the world.

[applause] <Beryl> What is this amalgamation of sound that you call, Ranky Tanky?

<Charlton> I would say that it is a combination of a number of genres that the world has come to know such as Jazz, Pop music, Blues Folk music however, it's a well known, well maybe not so well known, but it's a fact that though you could trace the root to a lot of these genres that we talk about today back to the Gullah community and the rhythms that came from the Gullah community which originated with West African slaves.

<Beryl> I really want to know how you reacted when Clay suggested that you base your music on the Gullah culture.

[laughs] <Charlton> I did that.

<Beryl> Were you - >> I was.

I sort of chuckled at the idea, not because I didn't think that it could necessarily work, but at the same time personally just growing up with it, and being around that sound, for all of my life and in the community that I grew up with or grew up in.

You know, I didn't think of, it being presented out to the world.

I just assumed that that everybody praised like that, or at least in the Black community and everybody sort of understood that certain sound.

I think Clay with his sort of forward thinking about how the band could do out with festivals and things on the world music sort of stage.

I think between that and the combination of all of our talents, collectively and individually or individually coming together collectively, and putting that new sort of spin on the music, was what he was going at it and I didn't necessarily see personally in the beginning until we talked about it some more.

And then I said, 'Okay!

Let's give this a shot.'

<Quentin Baxter> You asked the question about how it felt when the idea was brought.

Clay and I had a couple of heart to hearts, because I mean my skepticism and reluctance was like and do what?

And why?

And things like that, but we really had a heart to heart.

He was like why are you reluctant?

I told him why.

If we're gonna do this, we have to do it the right way.

We have to find a way to do it when we're reaching a lot of people without actually absolutely having to play in church conventions and things.

So, we're going to actually be a very honest attempt to represent the music in a non-church environment, still spiritual, but not religious necessarily environment, so secular, if you will.

We had to do it the right way we had to do it in a way where it really respects the community and the community would absolutely stand behind us, and stand up with us to actually embark on this accomplishment.

[Tambourine rattling and low singing] <Clay Ross> It's kind of grown wildly beyond what I envisioned already and I think what I really love what Quentin said about, The fact that, I, do think our strength is our story, us, together and our personal relationship with one another.

I don't think this group would navigate all the challenges that, success poses challenges, right?

I mean, having all the opportunities that we have, it's challenging in its own way, and I feel that we are able to navigate that because we have two decades of knowing one another and holding one another, in high esteem and with a lot of mutual respect.

And, I think that's a real gift, and I also feel lucky that we, we came to this concept in this band and trying to perform at this level, at this age.

Because I do think it would not have worked if we, 20 years ago we had tried to do something like this.

It never would have succeeded, I think we would have stood in our own way, and I think in this case we've seen a lot happen in life - not just in music, in life.

And we've seen we really know that every day is a gift, and every day that we get to make music together is a gift.

<Quiana Parler> We're family first.

I guess, once you have that We're a team.

It just all gelled and we all have the same mission and purpose and we know what the end goal is.

We've been playing together long enough where we kind of like, fit together like a hand and glove sort of, kind of.

<Kevin Hamilton> I think that the goal for us to get to a thing as a band to get to the - it's not so much the message but the feel of it and then to have the audience have an almost interaction with that so they feel the way we feel when we play it, and I think there's like a spirit that takes over when we play together.

The goal for us is to kind of have just spread out as wide as possible.

I think that's the idea, the purpose of us coming together.

♪ [Jazz music] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ You know that preacher baptized you.

♪ ♪ You know what you promised God you'd do.

♪ ♪ You've gotta give an account at the judgment.

♪ ♪ You better mind.

♪ ♪ You gonna feeling but no want fight ♪ ♪ You joined the church but you won't live right ♪ ♪ You've gotta give an account at the judgment.♪ ♪ You better mind.

♪ ♪ You better mind.

You better mind.

♪ ♪ You've gotta give an account at the judgment ♪ ♪ You better mind.

♪ ♪ You better mind.

You better mind.

♪ <Quentin> We are all Ranky Tanky.

It's not just me.

It's not just Clay.

It's not just Charles and Kevin.

We all have a say in what's happening and that's the fun part about the band.

Everyone has a contribution, a major contribution to every note that's played on stage.

And we all hold one another dear and honor one another.

So, that's the sound.

The sound is honoring one another's contributions or accomplishments and ability to really play, and play well.

We just honor one another.

[Group sings: Let me be] ♪ Let me be like a Simmon tree Grounded by the earth ♪ ♪ Let me be like a cat-paw breeze Whispered into birth ♪ ♪ Let me be like a Simmon tree Grounded by the earth ♪ ♪ Let me be like a cat-paw breeze Whispered into birth ♪ ♪ ♪ All that talk, you don't want, can't you listen ♪ ♪ find out what you're missing ♪ gotta get lost to exhaust our matters ♪ ♪ Change the change ♪ ♪ breaking your back on the - ♪ ♪ taking the time to be blind to learn your lesson ♪ ♪ I'll let you know when I know what you know ♪ ♪ And I'll break free and live again ♪ ♪ Let me be like a Simmon tree Grounded by the earth ♪ ♪ Let me be like a cat-paw breeze whispered into birth ♪ ♪ holding your hand while you can, you gotta love them ♪ ♪ breaking your heart from the start to rise above them ♪ ♪ taking the train through the rain and snow ♪ Taking away all the pain before ♪ ♪ Making a stop and pop and get it moving ♪ ♪ Don't want to cheat on the beat, you gotta own it.

♪ Break every chain.

Ohhh!

♪ Let me be like a Simmon tree Grounded by the earth ♪ ♪ Let me be like a cat-paw breeze whispered into birth ♪ ♪ ♪ [Quiana scatting] ♪ ♪ Keep them on the run.

♪ ♪ [Quiana scatting] ♪ ♪ Staying alive while we try to break out ♪ ♪ Gotta fly straight into the sun.

♪ ♪ Let me be ♪ ♪ ♪ Let me be ♪ ♪ ♪ Let me be ♪ ♪ ♪ Let me be ♪ ♪ ♪ Let me be like a Simmon tree Grounded by the earth ♪ ♪ ♪ Let me be like a cat-paw breeze ♪ ♪ whispered into birth ♪ ♪ Let me be like a Simmon tree ♪ Let me be like a cat-paw breeze ♪ ♪ [trumpet solo] ♪ <Charlton> My biggest wow, so far?

Gosh, I don't know if I could narrow that down.

The Today Show was a wow.

NPR with Terry Gross is a wow!

Being in a different country where I know they probably didn't know who we were.

I took a picture of us standing outside I'm looking out at the grounds and there was maybe 100 people scattered across this huge lawn.

15 minutes later when we were about to start the show, I took another picture.

And there was like 10 thousand people out there.

We finished out our set and we left the stage and when we left the stage, we went behind, they had a little tent area for us.

About five minutes later somebody came running back from the stage and said ya'll got to come out and see this.

And they were all singing one of our songs.

And it was amazing, so that was a wow moment right there in itself, just thousands of people, though.

Just singing Shoo lie loo .

[laughs] ♪ Hey Hey Shoo lie loo Hey Hey Shoo lie loo ♪ <Clay Ross> We come from a heartland of American music.

A place that has something truly special to offer the world, musically from a historical perspective but also in a contemporary sense because of these specific artists because of the members of Ranky Tanky and their extraordinary talents, I felt that if we could unite together that we would have something really, really special to share with the world.

<Quentin> Coming back together can pose it's challenges just like in any band because you know we have a history.

Luckily, for us our history is not awful.

[laughter] It's a blessing.

<Quiana> We like each other.

We all stayed in touch and we and we pick up where we left.

[intelligible] <Quiana> A lady walked up to me in Minnesota the other night.

She said, You guys touched on every emotion that I had I was crying, laughing, dancing and just happy.

She was like you touched every single emotion and I feel like when I hear things like that we're doing our job.

And I like to call it music with a purpose.

We are blessed to be able to do that.

♪ Green Sally baked her possum brown ♪ ♪ Green Sally up.

Green Sally down.

♪ ♪ Green Sally baked her possum brown ♪ ♪ Green Sally up.

Green Sally down.

♪ ♪ Green Sally baked her possum brown ♪ ♪ ♪ I ask my momma for 50 cents ♪ ♪ to see the elephant jump the fence ♪ ♪ well he jumped so high, touched the sky ♪ ♪ didn't come back until the forth of July ♪ ♪ Green Sally up.

Green Sally down.

♪ ♪ Green Sally baked her possum brown ♪ ♪ Green Sally up.

Green Sally down.

♪ ♪ Green Sally baked her possum brown ♪ ♪ See that house on the hill ♪ ♪ that's where me and my baby live.

♪ ♪ Nailed that possum to the tree ♪ ♪ and keep me buzzing like a bumble bee.

♪ ♪ Green Sally up.

Green Sally down.

♪ ♪ Green Sally baked her possum brown ♪ ♪ Green Sally up.

Green Sally down.

♪ ♪ Green Sally baked her possum brown ♪ ♪ ♪ 1 re, 2, re, Dickory Seven ♪ ♪ Halibu, Crack a boo, 10, 11 ♪ ♪ People must be done.

Twinkle Twinkle 21.

♪ One Salt Two Salt Sick as all - ♪ ♪ Bobtail Nickel, Eat it all ♪ ♪ Hail em, Scale em, Virgin Mary Ike to my link ♪ ♪ 1 re, 2 re, Dickory 7 ♪ ♪ Halibu, Crack a boo 10, 11 ♪ ♪ People must be done.

Twinkle Twinkle 21.

♪ One Salt Two Salt Sick as all - ♪ ♪ Bobtail Nickel, Eat it all ♪ ♪ Hail em, Scale em, Virgin Mary Ike to my link ♪ ♪ [trumpet solo] ♪ ♪ ♪ [trumpet solo continues] ♪ ♪ ♪ Green Sally up.

Green Sally down.

♪ ♪ Green Sally baked her possum brown ♪ ♪ Green Sally up.

Green Sally down.

♪ ♪ Green Sally baked her possum brown ♪ <Clay Ross> Columbia, South Carolina have you had fun at the Ranky Tanky concert, tonight?

[applause] Listen guys can we have a final seal the deal kind of moment between the people of Ranky Tanky Charleston, South Carolina and the people of Columbia, South Carolina.

Can we do a little something right now?

Somebody say yes.

Come on.

Alright we need some house lights in here... a little bit of house lights.

And I need everybody to stand up where you're at right now and let's do this thing Green Sally.

♪ Throw your hands up.

Throw your hands down ♪ ♪ Everybody twist your hands all around.

♪ ♪ Throw your hands up.

Throw your hands down ♪ ♪ Everybody twist your hands all around.

♪ ♪ Throw your hands up.

Throw your hands down ♪ ♪ Everybody twist your hands all around.

♪ ♪ Throw your hands up.

Throw your hands down.

♪ Now, we're going to sing it.

I want you to sing it with your heart.

♪ Green Sally up.

Green Sally down.

♪ Green Sally baked her possum brown.

♪ Green Sally up.

Green Sally down.

♪ ♪ Green Sally baked her possum - ♪ Sing it.

<Audience> ♪ Green Sally up.

Green Sally down.

♪ ♪ Green Sally baked her possum brown ♪ ♪ Green Sally up.

Green Sally down.

♪ ♪ Green Sally baked her possum brown ♪ <Charlton> You can do the running man with it ♪ Green Sally up.

Green Sally down.

♪ [laughter] <Clay Ross> Columbia, South Carolina, Somebody scream.

♪ Green Sally up.

Green Sally down.

♪ ♪ Green Sally bake her possum brown ♪ ♪ Green Sally up.

Green Sally down.

♪ ♪ Green Sally baked her possum brown ♪ ♪ Green Sally up.

Green Sally down.

♪ ♪ Green Sally baked her possum brown ♪ ♪ Green Sally up.

Green Sally down.

♪ ♪ Green Sally baked her possum brown ♪ ♪ Green Sally up.

♪ [music stops] <Quiana> Thank You [applause] God bless ya'll.

[applause] [applause] [applause] [applause] [applause]