Poor Man's Troubles
This Bronx-born master of the fiddle, banjo, and guitar performs an authentic blend of old-time styles born mostly in the rolling hills of the Appalachians. With more than an hour's worth of material across 20 songs,Poor Man's Troublesplays like a modern take onAlan Lomaxrecordings from the American South: thoughtful storytelling, solo banjo, fast-picking folk songs, bluesy renditions of Molsky's traditional favorites, and haunting fiddle work. Equally impressive are the extensive liner notes, which include Molsky's song-by-song accounts of the music's history and the inspiration he draws from the South. An example is his rendition of the 1928 instrumental "Terrell Texas Blues," first recorded by Texas barber Oscar Harper, where Molsky's fiddle drifts along on the accompaniment of his wife Audrey on guitar.--Scott Holter