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In the popular imagination, Grammy equals fame and fortune, but it’s unlikely most people reading this will know the name of Grammy-winning troubadour and storyteller David Holt. Holt (an O Brother alumnus) plays washboard, banjo, guitar, harmonica, spoons, bones and other instruments, sometimes all at the same time, with a style and panache that few performers ever attain. He blends music, poetry and storytelling, often about the songs he’s singing and the people who taught them to him, with a breezy style that brings to mind the easy banter of Pete Seeger, giving us an idea of the way people entertained themselves before radio and TV. Holt’s humor is G-rated — he’s laughing with us, not at us — which is refreshing, but it’s his skill on the various instruments he plays that’s really impressive. Jaded rock ‘n’ rollers may find this a bit hokey, but if you’ve got kids, or have never grown up yourself, Holt is guaranteed to put a cheery grin on your face.
