Rhiannon Giddens was a guest on the Tavis Smiley show on PBS this week. She spoke with Smiley about the inspiration behind her new album, Freedom Highway, and gives a solo performance of "Julie," one of nine original songs she wrote or co-wrote for the album, which also includes a traditional tune and two civil rights–era songs.

"What I wanted was a way to tell those stories, but I’m a musician and they wanted to become songs. I didn’t have a choice really. I started playing this banjo and then it was just like the first one came out," Giddens tells Smiley. "I found kind of my mission. You know, it’s always been around these sorts of things, but my particular why I’m here, you know, what I do that no one else is doing in the way that I’m doing it, is connecting the past to these stories, but bringing them into the now in a way that is different."

Watch what else she had to say and see the performance below. To get Freedom Highway, head to iTunes or the Nonesuch Store now.

Giddens can also be heard on the forthcoming album Folk Songs, due June 9, performing with Kronos Quartet on an album that also finds Kronos joining forces with fellow labelmates Sam Amidon, Olivia Chaney, and Natalie Merchant. You can hear Giddens' performance of "Lullaby" from the album here.

Rhiannon Giddens resumes her US tour with a performance at the historic Ryman Auditorium as part of Marty Stuart's Late Night Jam on June 7. For details, visit nonesuch.com/on-tour.