Duration: 1:11

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This! This is the version of American's theme that I first heard in the pre-release previews that got me to pre-order Civilization 6. It is also the first tune that pops up when you play as America before being joined by the fiddle as your advance to the Classical Era.

I tried to find a solo version of just the banjo online but there were none up so I had to dig through the game files to find it. Trying to find the artist to credit for the banjo, I ended up emailing the musician Brad Kolodner who played the banjo you are hearing in this theme. Coincidentally I found out he lives next to me in Baltimore near Johns Hopkins University campus were I was studying. He currently teaches banjo lessons. In his email to me, he told me Geoff Knorr gave him the freedom to play the banjo as he wanted for the Ancient Era themes with no real restrictions. Interesting to see this is the case for a lot of the Ancient Era themes in the game, that the musicians were about to improv a lot of tunes.

Credits
Based on: Hard Times Come Again No More by Stephen Foster
Arranged by: Geoff Knorr
Banjo: Brad Kolodner