Brittany Hass is joining Bruce for a joyful evening of old-time music. The event will crackle with heart-thumpingly gorgeous songs that bridge Molsky’s and Haas’ respective generations with the community—past, present, and future—who carries this musical tradition forward over the centuries. 

Both Molsky and Haas are revered for their old-time fiddling, a musical tradition which comes from the southern Appalachian mountains. The concert will find the two friends trading old-time works that have stood the test of time, laughing over memories, and delighting in the joy of how this rich musical heritage continues to grow. Historically played for dances, these social songs gather people together using a structure in which musicians perform the melody together. 

“Brittany and I met when I first visited Alasdair Fraser’s Valley of the Moon Scottish fiddle camp about 1996. She was 10. That might have been her first exposure to old-time music - we spent a lot of time together that week, became pals and part of each other’s musical lives, and have stayed that way all this time,” says Molsky. “Even though we lived on opposite coasts, I would visit her and her family whenever I was in California, give her some lessons and just play. We have a wonderful  history, and it’s special to have the opportunity to share some of that,” he adds. 

Haas is known for her work as a soloist and also for playing as part of the seminal “chamber-grass” band Crooked Still, with whom she has made four recordings and toured the world. She also performs as part of the quartet Hawktail (formerly Haas Kowert Tice, featuring bassist Paul Kowert of Punch Brothers, guitarist Jordan Tice, and mandolinist Dominick Leslie). As a child, Haas studied classical violin and then fiddling. It was when she first heard Bruce Molsky that she knew she had found her purpose. At age fourteen, Haas began touring with Darol Anger’s Republic of Strings, at seventeen, she released her self-titled debut solo album (produced by Anger). 

Meanwhile, Haas enjoys her work as a sought-after collaborator and session musician. She has performed on Late Night With David Letterman and Saturday Night Live as part of Steve Martin’s bluegrass band, and is featured on Martin’s Grammy-winning album The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo. Over the years, she has performed with Béla Fleck, Abigail Washburn, Tony Trischka, Yonder Mountain String Band, The Waybacks, Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas (her cellist sister), and more. In January of 2020, her quartet Hawktail released their follow-up album to 2018’s Unless. Haas has toured with the Dave Rawlings Machine (featuring Gillian Welch) and can be found on their latest releases Nashville Obsolete and Poor David's Almanack. In 2016, Haas began performing as part of the house band for Live From Here (formerly known as A Prairie Home Companion) hosted by Chris Thile. 

In addition to their work as performers, both Haas and Molsky continue to instructor at various string and fiddle camps across the globe, sharing their knowledge and passion with the next generation of fiddle players.