Ricky Jay has had a deck of cards in his hand nearly every day for going on 50 years.
The world-renowned actor and slight-of-hand expert runs the gambling tables in the HBO series Deadwood.
Jay, who also won an Obie Award for his stage show, has just released Ricky Jay Plays Poker. It's a collection of poker music, tricks and history. The package includes a DVD, CD and a deck of cards.
The recent popularity of poker has spawned televised, high-stakes tournaments with celebrity players. But Jay's collection illuminates the history and musical ties of a game that has evolved over the years to have its own vocabulary.
The CD features classic poker-themed tunes from artists such as Bob Dylan, Patsy Cline and Tex Williams.
The DVD showcases some of the actor's more subtle tricks as he plays poker with his friends.
Jay speaks with Liane Hansen about his new collection and how he became attracted to the hustling side of the game.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.