Banning Eyre writes and broadcasts about international music, especially contemporary African music. He has traveled to Africa many times, doing research in over 20 countries, and written four books on his research there, including the acclaimed In Griot Time: An American Guitarist in Mali (Temple University Press/Serpent’s Tail), and Guitar Atlas Africa (Workshop Arts), an instructional book on African guitar style, and Lion Songs, Thomas Mapfumo and the Music that Made Zimbabwe (Duke University Press, 2015). Eyre reported on world music for NPR’s All Things Considered for 25 years, and has produced over 150, one-hour programs for the Peabody Award-winning public radio series Afropop Worldwide. He is also Senior Editor at www.afropop.org and lead producer for the podcast Planet Afropop. Eyre has contributed to a number of international publications, including The Boston Phoenix, Billboard, Guitar Player, Global Rhythm, The Village Voice, The Walrus, and Folk Roots.
Eyre is also a talented guitarist, well-versed in African styles. When he's not producing Afropop content, his passion is creating solo guitar pieces, and collaborating with fellow musicians in creating original music.
