ARTIST BIOS
Jay Ungar & Molly Mason (www.jayandmolly.com) are extraordinary musicians. If you didn't know it before, you sure did after Ken Burns' The Civil War hit the airwaves. Their performance of Jay's haunting composition "Ashokan Farewell" — the musical hallmark of the PBS series — earned the couple international acclaim. The soundtrack won a Grammy and "Ashokan Farewell" — originally inspired by Jay & Molly's annual fiddle and dance camps — was nominated for an Emmy.
Since joining forces in the late 1970s, Jay and Molly have become one of the most celebrated duos on the American acoustic music scene. With their comfortable sense of fun and their love of music, they make each concert a musical journey — sometimes spanning two continents and two centuries. Their incomparable warmth and wit — coupled with consummate musicianship — have delighted audiences worldwide.
They've garnered legions of fans through their appearances on Great Performances, A Prairie Home Companion, their own public radio specials, and work on film soundtracks such as Brother's Keeper, Legends of the Fall, and a host of Ken Burns' documentaries. And what of the event that inspired their signature tune? Jay and Molly's Ashokan Fiddle & Dance Camps (www.ashokan.org) — in New York's Catskill Mountains — remain a favorite learning vacation destination for music and dance enthusiasts all across the country.
Story behind the song:
"I Had an Old Coat" (P. Kaplan) - We learned this song from a recording by Paul Kaplan, the guy who wrote it. It shows us that recycling can feel good and be fun!
