Bruce Molsky
Encyclopedia
Bruce C. Molsky is an American
fiddle
r, banjo
player, guitar
ist, and singer. He primarily performs old-time music
of the Appalachia
n region.
Molsky was born in 1955 at New York Infirmary in Manhattan
, and grew up in The Bronx
. His father, Milton, a mechanical engineer
, was a first-generation American descendant of Jewish immigrants from Poland
.
As a young man, Molsky first became interested in blues
music, but eventually became absorbed in old-time music
while studying engineering at Cornell University
in Ithaca, New York
, beginning in 1972. His playing was influenced by the fiddling of Tommy Jarrell
, whom Molsky visited in North Carolina
in 1976. He recorded with Bob Carlin
in 1990.
Molsky has released several records on Rounder Records
under his own name. He recorded with Beverly Smith and Rafe Stefanini
as Bruce Molsky and Big Hoedown, in 1997. He has also appeared in instructional videos teaching old time fiddle, both solo and with Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer
.
Besides his solo recordings he has also played with the bands Fiddlers 4 and Mozaik and played in many concerts and festivals. He collaborated in 2008 with Norwegian hardingfele
player and composer Annbjørg Lien
on her CD Waltz With Me and subsequent concerts. He also appears as a guest artist on Andy Statman
's 2011 double-CD, "Old Brooklyn" (Shefa Records).
Molsky and his wife Audrey reside in Washington, D.C.
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
fiddle
Fiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
r, banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
player, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist, and singer. He primarily performs old-time music
Old-time music
Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music, with roots in the folk music of many countries, including England, Scotland, Ireland and countries in Africa. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dance, buck dance, and clogging. The genre also...
of the Appalachia
Appalachia
Appalachia is a term used to describe a cultural region in the eastern United States that stretches from the Southern Tier of New York state to northern Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia. While the Appalachian Mountains stretch from Belle Isle in Canada to Cheaha Mountain in the U.S...
n region.
Molsky was born in 1955 at New York Infirmary in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, and grew up in The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
. His father, Milton, a mechanical engineer
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
, was a first-generation American descendant of Jewish immigrants from Poland
History of the Jews in Poland
The history of the Jews in Poland dates back over a millennium. For centuries, Poland was home to the largest and most significant Jewish community in the world. Poland was the centre of Jewish culture thanks to a long period of statutory religious tolerance and social autonomy. This ended with the...
.
As a young man, Molsky first became interested in blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
music, but eventually became absorbed in old-time music
Old-time music
Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music, with roots in the folk music of many countries, including England, Scotland, Ireland and countries in Africa. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dance, buck dance, and clogging. The genre also...
while studying engineering at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in Ithaca, New York
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
, beginning in 1972. His playing was influenced by the fiddling of Tommy Jarrell
Tommy Jarrell
Tommy Jarrell was an American fiddler, banjo player, and singer from the Mount Airy region of North Carolina's Appalachian Mountains.-Biography:...
, whom Molsky visited in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
in 1976. He recorded with Bob Carlin
Bob Carlin
For the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation member of the Ontario legislature see Robert CarlinBob Carlin is an American old-time banjo player and singer.Carlin performs primarily in the clawhammer style of banjo...
in 1990.
Molsky has released several records on Rounder Records
Rounder Records
Rounder Records, originally of Cambridge, Massachusetts, but now based in Burlington, Massachusetts, is a record label founded in 1970 by Ken Irwin, Bill Nowlin and Marian Leighton-Levy, while all three were still university students...
under his own name. He recorded with Beverly Smith and Rafe Stefanini
Rafe Stefanini
Rafe Stefanini is an Italian old-time banjo player, fiddler, guitarist, singer, teacher, and violin maker and restorer....
as Bruce Molsky and Big Hoedown, in 1997. He has also appeared in instructional videos teaching old time fiddle, both solo and with Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer
Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer
Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer perform together as a folk music duo. They have been musical partners for more than 20 years...
.
Besides his solo recordings he has also played with the bands Fiddlers 4 and Mozaik and played in many concerts and festivals. He collaborated in 2008 with Norwegian hardingfele
Hardingfele
A Hardanger fiddle is a traditional stringed instrument used originally to play the music of Norway. In modern designs, the instruments are very similar to the violin, though with eight or nine strings and thinner wood...
player and composer Annbjørg Lien
Annbjørg Lien
Annbjørg Lien is a Norwegian musician. She plays the hardingfele , violin, and nyckelharpa....
on her CD Waltz With Me and subsequent concerts. He also appears as a guest artist on Andy Statman
Andy Statman
Andy Statman is a noted Klezmer clarinetist and bluegrass/newgrass mandolinist.Andy Statman was born in Brooklyn, New York City. He first gained acclaim as a mandolinist in pioneering bluegrass bands Country Cookin' and Breakfast Special. Statman, who grew up in a traditional but secular Jewish...
's 2011 double-CD, "Old Brooklyn" (Shefa Records).
Molsky and his wife Audrey reside in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
.