An Evening with Mark Rubin

Oklahoma-born, Texas-reared, and now living in New Orleans, multi-instrumentalist Mark Rubin is an unabashed Southern Jew, known equally for his muscular musicianship and larger-than-life persona that has earned him the respect of legends of the industry. Over an accomplished 40+ year career, he has accompanied or produced a virtual who’s-who of powerful, authentic American traditional music, while straddling numerous musical genres, including Country, Western Swing, Bluegrass, Cajun, Tex-Mex, Polka, Klezmer, Roma, and more.

In 1990 along with banjo virtuoso Danny Barnes he formed the ground breaking Americana pioneers Bad Livers, ushering in a generation of alternative bluegrass and acoustic bands, many who name check the group as their greatest influence. In 2015, Rubin stepped out behind the string bass and released his first album of original material. Mark Rubin’s solo journey is a powerful artistic exploration of identity. He’s evolved from folk-tinged storytelling in Southern Discomfort, to more personal, folk-centric songwriting in Songs for the Hangman’s Daughter, culminating in The Triumph of Assimilation—a musically and thematically audacious work that bridged Yiddish cultural memory with Southern Americana. (Triumph debuted at #13 on the Billboard Bluegrass Chart in fact.)

"Dispatches: Songs from a World Gone Mad" (2025) will likely continue Rubin’s trajectory as an artist who challenges societal norms through his musical exploration of identity, politics, and personal narratives. This album could be viewed as Mark Rubin’s most political, with powerful songwriting, multi-layered arrangements, and keen social commentary. The album promises to be both a reflection of our present moment and a call for deeper engagement with the world around us.

When querried, he describes his music as "Southern Americana from a Jewish POV." To me being a Jew means being socially conscious as well. And I like to think of myself working in the same vein as my fellow Okies Woody Guthrie and Will Rodgers." When it comes to his songwriting influences he name checks country hit maker Harlan Howard and the Polish-Yiddish poet Mordecai Gebertig; "I'll reckon I'm the only place where both those world reside in equal measure," he notes.Today, he lives and works as a professional musician playing tenor banjo with the Panorama Jazz Band in New Orleans and makes a study of the musical traditions and cultures of South Louisiana. He continues to be a first call tuba and bassist in the Yiddish Klezmer community, performing nationally and internationally. He recently took a position at the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience where he jokes he's an exhibit.

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