Grammy-Winning Roots Musician Hubby Jenkins at the Garde
At a Glance
What: Hubby Jenkins of the Carolina Chocolate Drops
When: Saturday, November 14, 2026
Time: 8–10 p.m.
Location: Oasis Room at the Garde Arts Center, 325 State Street, New London, CT 06320
Admission: $32–$41, plus fees
Featuring: Live blues, folk, ragtime, spirituals, and traditional American roots music
Performer: Hubby Jenkins, former member of the Grammy Award-winning Carolina Chocolate Drops
Venue: Intimate, 100-seat Oasis Room on the mezzanine level
Tickets: Available through the Garde Arts Center
Contact: (860) 444-7373, ext. 1
Event Description
Hubby Jenkins of the Carolina Chocolate Drops brings an evening of American roots music and storytelling to the Garde Arts Center in New London on Saturday, November 14. Performing in the intimate Oasis Room at 8 p.m., the Grammy-winning musician will explore the African American traditions that helped shape country, blues, folk, and old-time music.
A gifted banjo player, guitarist, and fiddler, Jenkins first gained national recognition as a member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, the celebrated string band that introduced a new generation of listeners to the often-overlooked contributions of Black musicians to traditional American music. Through performances rooted in history, the group helped bring renewed attention to the Black string band traditions that influenced the development of country and folk music.
Jenkins has continued that work as a solo performer, combining traditional songs with the stories behind them. His repertoire draws from early blues, ragtime, spirituals, and folk music, revealing how these musical traditions developed, influenced one another, and became part of America’s musical identity.
His career has taken him to stages across the country and around the world. In June 2024, Jenkins appeared at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville for an event celebrating a recording documenting African American contributions to country music. He subsequently performed at the Grand Ole Opry, one of country music’s most recognizable stages. In May 2025, he also appeared at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Jenkins approaches traditional music as both a performer and a historian. Rather than simply playing songs from another era, he shares the cultural background behind the music, introducing audiences to musicians and traditions whose influence has not always received widespread recognition.
The concert takes place in the Garde’s Oasis Room, a 100-seat performance space on the theater’s mezzanine level. Designed for smaller concerts and intimate performances, the room offers audiences an opportunity to experience Jenkins’ musicianship and storytelling in a setting well suited to the personal nature of his work.
For listeners who enjoy acoustic blues, traditional folk, or the history of American music, the evening offers something beyond a conventional concert. Jenkins connects familiar musical styles to the people and communities that created them, bringing their stories into the present through the sound of his instruments and his own voice.
Featured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people, location, or activities shown.