Ranky Tanky
Gullah Music of the Carolina Coast - Ranky Tanky makes joy sound like a responsibility. The two-time Grammy Award winning quintet from Charleston, South Carolina featuring Quiana Parler (vocals), Charlton Singleton (trumpet, vocals), Clay Ross (guitar, vocals), Kevin Hamilton (bass), and Quentin E. Baxter (drums, percussion), draws on the living well of Gullah music from the Sea Islands and carries it forward with jazz verve, gospel fire, blues feeling, and soul-deep groove. Their very name, from the Gullah language, means “work it” or “get funky,” which is exactly what they do: turn ring shouts, children’s game songs, work songs, and spirituals into modern American music that moves both body and memory.