Happy Hanukkah!

Happy Hanukkah! We're honoring the holiday with a special highlight on Woody Guthrie and The Klezmatics collection of holiday works, "Woody Guthrie’s Happy Joyous Hanukkah". Woody Guthrie is best known as the father of American folk music, and the writer of “This Land Is Your Land,” but few realize this folk icon also wrote Hanukkah songs.

It all started when Woody moved to Brooklyn in 1942 and became involved with the Coney Island Jewish Community through his mother-in-law the renowned Yiddish poet Aliza Greenblatt. During this time, he was inspired to write songs about Hanukkah, Jewish history, and spiritual life. After Guthrie's death, the songs he had written for the holiday sat forgotten in archives. It wasn't until thirty years later that Woody's daughter Nora Guthrie discovered the lyrics.

Inspired and invigorated to share his songs with the world, Nora asked the Jewish roots-music band The Klezmatics, to write new music for the lyrics. The end result is a collaboration between Woody Guthrie and The Klezmatics titled "Woody Guthrie’s Happy Joyous Hanukkah". Released in 2006, the work includes a collection of songs, including ‘Hanuka’s Flame”, “Hanuka Gelt”, and more. The combination of Guthrie's classic folk sound with The Klezmatics' playful interpretation casts a new light on the Hanukkah tradition, one that is sure to become a holiday classic for generations to come! Take a listen here: https://s.disco.ac/orercbnkgroa