15 – FOLK MUSIC
Folk music is exactly that - the music of the common man, usually handed down from generation to generation. Songs are often traditional, updated with contemporary lyric content to suit new circumstances or locales (often termed "folk process"), sometimes serving a purpose as in protest. The term, "folk" can be interchangeable with country or blues since they are ethnic in origin. Folk is definitely not a term associated with any specific race or culture. Every area of the world has its own folk music.
One specific form of black folk music is the blues. Later, the white man discovered that he had his own blues, every bit as eloquent and subtle as black blues, only expressed in an entirely different fashion.
In the twentieth century, folk songs flourished during the Great Depression among coal miners, migrant workers and the dispossessed Okies. Many folk singers were branded communists because of their support of unions. Since they generally adopted a liberal viewpoint and often took a radical stance in their causes, many performers soon became the logical spokespersons for the wellbeing of the working class. Their material tackled regional, social and natural occurrences. Lyrics could be political or environmental in commentary.
Sometimes the songs served no specific purpose other than pure entertainment value. The most common form of folk song was the traditional narrative ballad. Another was the simple sentimental song focussing on the performer's origins or homeland.
The style of music we have come to address as folk music is basically Anglo-Saxon in origin, brought to North America by early settlers. Considerably sparse in accompaniment, it is most often executed by one or two performers. It is an acoustic music, the most common instrumentation consisting of guitars, banjos, mandolins and autoharps. Early rhythmic instruments such as spoons, jugs and washboards have long since been abandoned.
Modern folk music spread quickly after the emergence of radio in the 1920's, although controversial lyrics were immediately censored. By the late 1950's and early 1960's, the popularity of folk music had reached its peak.
- (Sept. 23, 1867 - Jan. 26, 1948)
- Musicologist born in Goodman, Mississippi.
- Raised in the Southwest.
- Studied, collected and discovered folk singers and their songs.
- 1910 - Published his book, "Cowboy Songs And Other Frontier Ballads."
- 1932 - Discovered Leadbelly at The Louisiana State Penitentiary.
- Lomax contributed more than 3,000 recordings to The Library Of Congress' Archive Of American Folk Song.
- His son Allan Lomax (Jan. 31, 1915 – ) born in Austin, Texas became the most widely recognized authority on folk music.
- The two collaborated on the books, "Our Singing Country"(1941) and "Folk Song"(1947).
- 1996 - A stroke forced Allan Lomax into retirement.
- April, 1997 - Rounder Records released the first instalment of "The Allan Lomax Collection."
THE CARTER FAMILY
- Woodrow Wilson Guthrie (July 14, 1912 - Oct. 4, 1967)
- Singer/songwriter/guitarist born in Okemah, Oklahoma.
- The Guthrie family had a history of Huntington's disease.
- 1927 - Age 15, an orphan, he was adopted by a rich family but chose to run away.
- In his early twenties, he wrote about and documented the lifestyles of the dispossessed Okies of the Oklahoma dust bowl during The Great Depression. He later migrated with the dust bowl refugees to California.
- 1937 - While in Los Angeles, California, he became interested in the labour movement and began performing with his long time companion Cisco Houston.
- Between 1932 and 1952, wrote an estimated 1,000 songs. Many of Guthrie's songs were based on traditional melodies. He wrote current lyrics expressing the despair and opinions of the victims of the depression. These songs were of, for and by the people.
- He found himself elected as the spokesperson for almost every cause imaginable.
- Guthrie was later dubbed "The Father Of Folk."
- Performed often with his friend Leadbelly.
- 1941 - Formed the legendary folk group The Almanac Singers comprised of himself, Pete Seeger, Lee Hayes and Millard Lampell.
- Some of his greatest songs are "Do Re Mi," "Jesus Christ," "So Long, It's Been Good To Know You," "Vigilante Man," "Philadelphia Lawyer," "Union Maid" and "Pretty Boy Floyd."
- The melody for his most famous song, "This Land Is Your Land" was taken from a traditional piece called "Little Darling Pal Of Mine."
- 1943 - Released his autobiography, "Bound For Glory."
- July 10, 1947 - His son, future folkie Arlo Guthrie was born.
- 1948 - Wrote "Plane Wreck At Los Gatos (Deportees)," about the crash of a plane carrying immigrant workers.
- Guthrie created the romantic hobo image of the travelling minstrel, influencing later artists such as Bob Dylan, Donovan and Tom Paxton.
- Guthrie spent most of the last 15 years of his life in hospital.
- Oct. 4, 1967 - Died of Huntington's chorea.
- 1976 - Portrayed by David Carradine in the film, "Bound For Glory."
- Recommended compilation album - "The Original Vision" featuring the original recordings of Guthrie and Leadbelly.
- Huddie Ledbetter (Jan. 29, 1889 - Dec. 6, 1949)
- Singer/songwriter/guitarist born in Moorinsport, Louisiana.
- Part black, part Cherokee Indian, he was a physically massive individual.
- It is suspected that his professional name was either a corruption of his real name or referred to a buckshot wound in his abdomen.
- 1894 - Age 5, moved to Texas.
- Learned to play guitar, harmonica and cajun accordion.
- 1906 - Age 17, began travelling, playing as he went.
- 1910-1916 - Worked with Blind Lemon Jefferson on the streets of West Dallas, Texas.
- 1918-1925 - Served time for murder at Shaw State Prison Farm in Huntsville, Texas after shooting and killing his friend Will Stafford.
- 1926-1930 - Worked outside music.
- 1930-1934 - Served time for attempted homicide at Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola.
- 1934-1935 - Worked with folklorist John A. Lomax.
- 1935 - Performed several concerts in Greenwich Village, New York.
- 1935 - Time Magazine dubbed him "The Murderous Minstrel."
- 1936 - "Negro Folk Songs," his book of 48 songs was released.
- Noted for his 12 string guitaristry, Leadbelly furthered its popularity in folk circles.
- 1937 - Based in New York City.
- 1939-1940 - Imprisoned after stabbing a man in New York City.
- Worked frequently with Woody Guthrie.
- 1944 - Moved to Hollywood, California.
- 1946 - Toured with the political group, People's Songs Inc.
- 1947 - Moved back to New York City.
- His many songs include "Rock Island Line," "Sylvie," "Cotton Fields," "The Midnight Special," "The Bourgeois Blues" and the classic "Goodnight Irene."
- Dec. 6, 1949 - Died of lateral sclerosis in New York City. He was buried at Shiloh Baptist Church Cemetery between Moorinsport and Blanchard, Louisiana.
- (May 3, 1919 – )
- Singer/songwriter/banjoist born in New York City.
- Half-brother of folksinger Peggy Seeger (Margaret Seeger) (1935 – ) who married Ewan MacColl. Half-brother of folksinger Mike Seeger (1933 – ).
- Nicknamed "America's Tuningfork."
- His banjo playing inspired a whole generation of pickers.
- He was an admirer of radical songwriter Joe Hill and likewise became a champion of unions and strikers.
- 1941 - Seeger formed The Almanac Singers. Woody Guthrie joined the same year.
- Became the director of People's Songs Inc.
- 1948 - Formed The Weavers. The group had evolved from The Almanac Singers consisting of Seeger, Lee Hayes (1913 - Aug. 26, 1981), Fred Hellerman (May 13, 1927 – ) and female lead Ronnie Gilbert.
- Political blacklisting cut short their recording career when suspected as Communists during the McCarthy era.
- 1952 - Disbanded.
- 1955 - Reformed.
- The Weavers greatest hit was their recording of Leadbelly's "Goodnight Irene"(July, 1950)#1-13 wks. (with Gordon Jenkins). It sold over 2 million copies.
- 1955 - Their Carnegie Hall concert triggered the new folk boom and set a style for other groups to follow. The group disbanded in 1963 when folk went commercial.
- The Weavers hits include "Tzena Tzena Tzena"(July, 1950)#2, "The Roving Kind"(Dec., 1950)#11, "So Long (It's Been Good To Know You)"(Jan., 1951)#4, "On Top Of Old Smoky"(March, 1951)#2 (with Terry Gilkyson), "Wimoweh"(Feb., 1952)#14, "Midnight Special" (Sept., 1952)#30 and "Sylvie"(Jan., 1954)#27.
- 1958 - Seeger went solo and was replaced by Erik Darling (Sept. 25, 1933 – ) who later formed The Rooftop Singers.
- Both Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger were blacklisted in the early 1950's during the McCarthy era. This was the dark period in American history, dominated by conservative instigated witch hunts seeking out communists.
- Because of his left wing political support, Seeger was banned by Aware Inc.
- 1960 - Seeger was signed to Columbia by John Hammond.
- Some of Seeger's best loved songs include "Where Have All The Flowers Gone," "Turn Turn Turn," "The Bells Of Rhymney" and "If I Had A Hammer."
- During the 1960's, many of his songs were adapted to folk rock.
- Burle Icle Ivanhoe Ives (June 14, 1909 - April 14, 1995)
- Singer/actor/author from Hunt Township, Illinois.
- 1933 - Moved to New York City.
- 1937 - Began his folk singing career in Greenwich Village, New York.
- By the late 1930's, recorded folk material for the Stinson and Asch labels.
- 1938 - Landed a small part in Rodgers and Hart's Broadway show, "The Boys From Syracuse."
- 1940-1942 - Hosted his own CBS radio program, "The Wayfaring Stranger."
- 1944 - Appeared in the Broadway production of "Sing Out, Sweet Land!" featuring the song, "Big Rock Candy Mountain," which he recorded in March, 1945 for Decca.
- Between the 1940's and the 1960's, he was one of America's best known folk singers. His repertoire was non challenging and highly commercial.
- Film appearances include "East Of Eden"(1955) and "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof"(1958).
- 1958 - Won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for "The Big Country."
- Ives' endorsement of folk music helped further its popularity.
- 1964 - Contributed to the soundtrack of the TV special, "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer."
- April 14, 1995 - Died of cancer of the mouth.
- Hits include "Blue Tail Fly"(July, 1948)#24 (with The Andrews Sisters), "A Little Bitty Tear"(Dec., 1961)#9 and "Funny Way Of Laughin'"(April, 1962)#10.
In 1917, a group of union workers formed The Industrial Workers Of The World (more commonly known as The Wobblies) and by 1929, they were a major force. Their motto was "workers of the world unite." Radical Swedish born unionizer Joe Hill (Joel Emmanuel Hagglund) (1872 - Nov. 19, 1915), author of "Casey Jones -The Union Scab" and composer of "The Preacher And The Slave (Pie In The Sky)," wrote several protest songs adopted by the movement. He was later executed at Utah State Prison on alleged murder charges. His life inspired a multitude of young admirers like Pete Seeger and Joan Baez and the song, "Joe Hill," written by Earl Robinson in 1938. Baez later performed the song at the 1969 Woodstock festival. According to the first amendment, all citizens are allowed freedom of speech. As an important facet of folk music, protest songs were a an effective method of communicating the concerns of the working class to the government or anyone willing to listen. They were a way of spreading the word and making social commentary. Protest dared to infer that modern society was mixed up.
The melodies of several well known battle hymns became the basis for several popular protest anthems. "We Shall Overcome," reworked and popularized by Pete Seeger was originally an old religious piece written in 1909 by C. Albert Tindley titled "I'll Overcome Some Day."
Reasons for protest songs run the gamut from racism, bigotry, government inadequacies, job related complaints and environmental concerns to the most common of all protest topics - anti-war. During The Vietnam War, much of the popular music of the day, unlike previous wartime songs, expressed the public's total disenchantment with America's involvement. The turbulent 1960's provided countless avenues for protest music. The topics were endless - draft resistance, civil rights, women's rights, gay rights, animal rights, tax resistance, The American Indian Movement, support for returning vets etc. America had never been affronted with so much criticism from within at one time. Many controversial songs were banned, making them that much more attractive to the young. Several radical TV programs such as "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" were cancelled due to their anti-war sentiment and out and out criticism of the establishment in general. Country Joe MacDonald's scathing "Fixin' To Die Rag," which he performed uncensored at Woodstock caused an incredible backlash from flag waving factions. Later in the 1970's, Paul McCartney's "Give Ireland Back To The Irish" had a similar effect in Great Britain.
During the 1920's, singer/songwriter Frank Crumit was one of the first popular entertainers to record sympathetic versions of traditional folk songs, triggering commercial interest in the genre. In 1949, the first International Folk Festival was held in Venice and attention to folk music was furthered in the 1950's by the publication of "Let's Sing Out" magazine, which had evolved from an earlier format called "People's Songs."
During the 1950's, a brand new term appeared which described a freeform sing-along - the hootenanny. Basically, it was a relaxed social gathering featuring folk music as entertainment. The term was derived from a northwest regional expression meaning "thingymajig" or "whatchamacallit."
Between 1957 and 1965, folk music hit its commercial peak. It had threatened to become a major pop trend via live concerts and TV shows. ABC TV devised a program aptly titled "Hootenanny," featuring prominent folk groups of the period such as The Kingston Trio, The Tarriers and Peter, Paul And Mary. Combined with this, calypso and traditional Caribbean music flourished, making an international star of Harry Belafonte.
By the early 1960's, coffee houses had sprung up on college campuses all over North America. The universal capitol of folk music and the seat of the protest movement was Greenwich Village, New York. In March of 1957, Izzy Young and Tom Prendergast had opened The Fifth Peg folk club based out of Gerdes Folk City Restaurant on West 4th Street. Hootenannies or "hoots" as they were called became a regular occurrence. Anyone could come onstage to jam and the events were often free. The club scene grew in popularity, major venues being The Bitter End and The Gaslight. It was probably the most exciting spot of its time where musicians, poets, artists, beatniks, composers, writers and every type of radical converged.
As folk music became a marketable music trend, many of its most influential artists became somewhat disillusioned with the watered down material which was being passed off as genuine folk music. Pete Seeger was unimpressed with the trendiness. He stated that "white kids clapped their hands and sang along inanely with commercialized rubbish passed off as folk because it was fashionable." The great majority of the kids never really grasped the true depth of folk music until they were effected by The Vietnam War. Then and only then did the lyrics seem to have any impact and a whole new generation discovered the relevance of folk music.
As a fad, the whole thing faded momentarily in 1964 with the emergence of The Beatles and The British Invasion. But the legacy of folk was reborn with a new wave of folk oriented artists such as The Byrds, The Mamas And The Papas, Neil Young and Joni Mitchell. Actually, the entire progression from folk to folk rock can be summed up in one name - Bob Dylan.
Throughout the century, folk music has become urbanized electrified, fused with pop, rock and jazz, yet it continues to survive in pockets in its purest form. It has never aspired to commerciality. It is constant - often coming back into prominence during hard times.
- 1952 - Folk quartet formed at Western Centre College in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
- Consisting of Jimmy Sacca (lead), Don McGuire, Seymour Spiegelman and Billy Vaughn.
- Recorded while the members were still attending school.
- One of the very first successful commercial folk outfits.
- Aug., 1952 - Their first disc, "Trying" went to #7.
- June, 1953 - Their recording of "P.S. I Love You" went to #4. Written by Johnny Mercer and Gordon Jenkins in 1934, the disc became a million seller.
- 1955 - Vaughn left to form his own orchestra, later becoming the musical director for Dot Records.
- Hits include "From The Vine Came The Grape"(Feb., 1954)#8, "The Kentuckian Song"(July, 1955)#20, and "Marianne"(Feb., 1957)#3.
- 1957 - Commercial folk trio formed in San Francisco, California.
- Consisting of Dave Guard (Oct. 19, 1934 - March 22, 1991) (banjo/ vocals), Bob Shane (Feb. 1, 1934 –) (guitar/vocals) and Nick Reynolds (July 27, 1933 – ) (guitar/vocals).
- For 8 months, they were the regularly featured act at The Purple Onion in San Francisco, California.
- June, 1958 - Released their debut album on Capitol, "The Kingston Trio," featuring Woody Guthrie's "Hard Ain't It Hard."
- Sept., 1958 - Their recording of the traditional American folk song, "Tom Dooley" went to #1. The disc sold 3,500,000 copies.
- 1958 - Received the Grammy Award for Best C&W Recording.
- 1959 - Their appearance at The Newport Folk Festival irked folk purists.
- During the early 1960's, they were the most visible element of the commercial folk boom.
- 1961 - Received 4 awards for sales totalling $4 million.
- 1961 - Guard left to form The Whiskeyhill Singers, replaced by John Stewart (Sept. 5, 1939 – ) from San Diego, California who had previously written some of their material and assisted in arranging.
- By 1965, they had sold 18 million records and had released 28 albums.
- 1967 - Stewart went solo, having several best selling hits in the 1970's and writing hits for others including The Monkees' "Daydream Believer."
- 1968 - Disbanded with Shane forming The New Kingston Trio.
- Hits include "The Tijuana Jail"(March, 1959)#12, "MTA"(June, 1959)#12, "A Worried Man"(Sept., 1959)#20, "Scotch And Soda" (April, 1962)#81, "Greenback Dollar"(Jan., 1963)#21 and "Reverend Mr. Black"(April, 1963)#8.
- Folk/pop quartet formed while fraternity brothers at The University Of Washington.
- Consisting of Dick Foley, Bob Flick, John Paine and Mike Kirkland.
- Hits include "Greenfields"(Feb., 1960)#2, "Frogg"(April, 1961)#32 and "Try To Remember"(Nov., 1965)#91.
- Folk/pop trio formed while sophomores at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington.
- Consisting of Chad Mitchell, Mike Kobluk and Joe Frazier.
- 1965-1968 - John Denver was a member of the group.
- Hits include "Lizzie Borden"(Jan., 1962)#44 and "The Marvelous Toy"(Nov., 1963)#43.
- 1959 - Folk trio formed in Hollywood, California.
- Consisting of Glenn Yarbrough (Jan. 12, 1930 – ) (tenor/guitarist), Lou Gottlieb (Louis Gottlieb) (1923 – ) (bass) and Alex Hassilev (July 11, 1932 – ) (baritone).
- The group was named after an Aspen, Colorado club owned by Hassilev.
- Gottlieb had been a member of The Gateway Singers.
- 1963 - Yarbrough went solo, having a commercial hit with Rod McKuen's "Baby The Rain Must Fall"(March, 1965)#12.
- 1974 - The trio reformed to record the "Glenn Yarbrough And The Limeliters" album.
- Their biggest hit was "A Dollar Down"(April, 1961)#60.
- Folk quintet formed at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut.
- Consisting of Dave Fisher (guitar/banjo/bongos/arranger/tenor vocals), Bob Burnett (guitar/percussion/tenor vocals), Steve Trott (guitar/tenor vocals), Steve Butts (guitar/bass vocals) and Chan Daniels (guitar/charango/baritone vocals).
- 1960 - Signed to United Artists by their future manager Ken Greengrass.
- The group sang in Spanish, French, Hebrew and English.
- July, 1961 - Their recording of "Michael (Row The Boat Ashore)" went to #1-2 wks.
- Refused to tour in order to devote time to their studies.
- Hits include "The Gypsy Rover"(Nov., 1961)#42, "Cotton Fields" (Nov., 1961)#13 and "The Bird Man"(July, 1962)#64 (with Burt Lancaster).
- 1961 - Folk trio formed in Greenwich Village, New York.
- Mary Travers (Mary Ellin Travers) (Nov. 7, 1937 – )
- Singer born in Louisville, Kentucky.
- Peter Yarrow (May 31, 1938 – )
- Singer/guitarist born in Brooklyn, New York.
- Paul Stookey (Noel "Paul" Stookey) (Nov. 30, 1937 – )
- Singer/guitarist born in Baltimore, Maryland.
- One of the most influential folk groups of all time.
- Famous for their distinctive close harmonies.
- 1960 - Yarrow had appeared as a solo act at The Newport Folk Festival.
- Jan. 9, 1962 - Signed to Warner Brothers.
- March, 1962 - Their debut album, "Peter, Paul & Mary" sold over a million copies by mid-1963. It included their popular rendition of "Lemon Tree."
- Sept., 1963 - Toured Britain and later Europe.
- Other million selling albums include "Moving"(1963), "In The Wind"(1963), "In Concert"(1964) and "1700"(1967).
- 1971 - Disbanded, reuniting in 1978.
- Feb. 25, 1983 - Reformed for a European tour.
- Hits include "If I Had A Hammer"(Aug., 1962)#10, "Puff The Magic Dragon"(March, 1963)#2, "Blowin' In The Wind"(June, 1963)#12, "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright"(Sept., 1963)#9, "I Dig Rock And Roll Music"(Aug., 1967)#9 and "Leavin' On A Jet Plane"(Oct., 1969)#1.
- 1961 - Folk vocal/instrumental troupe founded and led by Randy Sparks (July 29, 1933 – ) and featuring future protest singer Barry McGuire (see American Rock And Pop Of The Sixties - Folk Rock) as lead vocalist.
- Consisting of various musicians and vocalists, featuring a choral vocal style.
- The troupe adopted the name of Edwin P. Christy's original Christy Minstrels of the mid 1800's.
- July, 1962 - Their first performance took place at The Troubadour Cafe in Hollywood, California.
- Became popular through several appearances on TV's "The Andy Williams Show."
- At one time, the line-up included Kenny Rogers.
- 1964 - Sparks sold his interest in the group for $2,500,000, later managing and organizing other folk artists.
- Hits include "This Land Is Your Land"(Dec., 1962)#93, "Green Green"(June, 1963)#14, "Saturday Night"(Oct., 1963)#29 and "Today"(April, 1964)#17.
- Pop/folk vocal quartet formed in Melbourne, Australia.
- Consisting of Judith Durham (July 3, 1943 – ) (lead vocals), Bruce Woodley (July 25, 1942 – ) (Spanish guitar), Keith Potger (March 2, 1941 – ) (guitar) and Athol Guy (Jan. 5, 1940 – ) (standup bass).
- Nov., 1964 - Signed to EMI in the U.K.
- During the British beat boom of the mid 1960's, the group achieved tremendous popularity.
- The group’s distinctive sound owed much to Durham's powerful soprano voice.
- 1967 - Durham pursued a solo career.
- 1970 - Potger formed the more commercial New Seekers.
- Hits include "I'll Never Find Another You"(Jan., 1965) #1 UK, (March, 1965)#4, "A World Of Our Own"(April, 1965)#3 UK, (May, 1965)#19, "The Carnival Is Over"(Oct., 1965)#1 UK, "Morningtown Ride"(Nov., 1966)#2 UK, (Feb., 1967)#44 and "Georgy Girl"(Dec., 1966)#2, (Feb., 1967)#3 UK.
- New Seekers hits include "Look What They've Done To My Song Ma" (Sept., 1970)#14 and "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony)"(Dec., 1971)#7 (a Coca-Cola advertisement).
- Arthel Watson (March 3, 1923 – )
- Singer/guitarist/harmonica player born in Deep Gap, North Carolina.
- Probably one of the most influential instrumentalists to emerge from the 1960's folk scene.
- Blind from age 2.
- A historian of Blue Ridge Mountain music and a virtuoso of the flatpicked acoustic guitar, using it as a lead instrument.
- 1953 - Played electric guitar in Jack Williams' western swing band.
- 1960 - His solo recording debut was "Old Time Music At Clarence Ashley's."
- 1962 - Gave his first solo performance at Gerdes Folk City in New York City.
- 1963 - Became a hit at The Newport Folk Festival.
- 1968 - His son Merle Watson (Feb. 8, 1949 - Oct. 23, 1985) toured with him playing guitar. He died in a tractor accident.
- 1972 - Took part in the landmark recording of the "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" album organized by The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and including such notables as Roy Acuff, Earl Scruggs, Merle Travis and Maybelle Carter.
- Harold George Belafonte Jr. (March 1, 1927 – )
- Singer/actor/producer born in Harlem, New York.
- Father of model/actress Shari Belafonte Harper (Sept. 22, 1954 – ).
- Raised in Jamaica, his father's birthplace.
- 1944 - Quit high school to join the navy.
- After World War Two, became a member of The American Negro Theater Workshop.
- 1949 - Recorded on Jubilee Records.
- Began performing West Indian folk songs at The Village Vanguard nightclub in Greenwich Village. Often accused of diluting pure West Indian folk music, Belafonte created a universal interest in the genre.
- Noted for his husky velvet voice.
- 1953 - Made his film debut in "Bright Road."
- 1953 - Won a Tony Award for his performance in "John Murray Anderson's Almanac."
- 1956 - After the release of his "Calypso" album, became known as "The King Of Calypso."
- 1953-1974 - Starred in 8 films including "Carmen Jones"(1955), "Island In The Sun"(1957) and "Uptown Saturday Night"(1974).
- 1984 - Co-produced the film, "Beat Street."
- 1987 - Replaced Danny Kaye as the UNICEF goodwill ambassador.
- 1985 - He and his manager Ken Kragen were two of the founding members of USA For Africa.
- Hits include "Scarlet Ribbons (For Her Hair)"(Dec., 1952)#30, "Gomen Nasai (Forgive Me)"(March, 1953)#19, "Jamaica Farewell" (Oct., 1956)#14, "Mary's Boy Child"(Dec., 1956)#12, "Banana Boat (Day-O)"(Jan., 1957)#5, Mama Look At Bubu"(March, 1957)#11 and "Cocoanut Woman"(June, 1957)#25.
- (Jan. 9, 1941 – )
- Singer/songwriter/guitarist born in Staten Island, New York.
- Early, 1958 - Became interested in folk music and started singing at Tulla's Coffee Grinder in Boston, Massachusetts.
- In the late 1950's, became a political activist while attending Boston University.
- 1959 - Her big break came at The Newport Folk Festival where she astounded an audience of 13,000 with her beautiful untrained soprano.
- 1960 - Her debut album on Vanguard, "Joan Baez, Vol. I" featured mostly Scottish ballads.
- Her beauty and long flowing hair contributed to her image as "The Queen Of Folk."
- April, 1961 - After meeting him for the first time at Gerde's Folk City in Greenwich Village, it was Baez who helped popularize the songs of Bob Dylan.
- Much maligned early in her career for not writing her own material, Baez essentially became a song stylist, performing songs composed by other artists. Much of her early repertoire consisted of traditional Scottish, English and American folk ballads.
- Oct., 1962 - Her third album, "Joan Baez In Concert" included the anthem, "We Shall Overcome."
- May 17, 1963 - Headlined at the first Monterey Folk Festival.
- Aug. 28, 1963 - Sang "We Shall Overcome" at The Freedom March on Washington.
- June, 1965 - Founded The Institute For The Study Of Non Violence in Carmel, California.
- Became a spokesperson for the peace movement, civil rights, striking farm workers in California and continued her efforts toward the abolishment of the death penalty.
- 1968-1973 - Recorded 6 albums in Nashville.
- Aug. 17, 1969 - Appeared at the famous Woodstock festival.
- Oct., 1970 - Co-organized and performed at the Big Sur Folk Festival.
- By Oct., 1971, her "Blessed Are ......." album featuring Jamie Robbie Robertson's "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" had sold over one million copies.
- By 1974, she had released 20 albums on Vanguard.
- 1975 - Her "Diamonds And Rust" album sold one million copies.
- July 13, 1985 - Performed at Live Aid.
- Sept., 1987 - Published her autobiography, "And A Voice To Sing With."
- For her humanitarianism, she was awarded The Chevalier De La Legion D'Honneur.
- Hits include "We Shall Overcome"(Nov., 1963)#90, "There But For Fortune"(Sept., 1965)#50, "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" (Aug., 1971)#3, "Blue Sky"(July, 1975)#57 and "Diamonds And Rust" (Sept., 1975)#35.
- Robert Allen Zimmerman (May 24, 1941 – )
- Singer/songwriter/guitarist/harmonica player/pianist/autoharpist born in Duluth, Minnesota.
- German/Jewish descent.
- 1951 - Age 10, began singing and playing guitar and by age 15, had written his first song. Later, he learned to play piano, autoharp and harmonica.
- He took his stage name from poet Dylan Thomas.
- Dec., 1960 - Moved to New York City.
- April 11, 1961 - Debuted at Gerde's Folk City on West 4th Street, Greenwich Village, New York.
- 1961 - Met his idol, Woody Guthrie.
- Oct., 1961 - With the aid of John Hammond, he was signed to Columbia Records.
- Dylan possessed a highly interpretive singing style punctuated with hoots and hollers. His voice had a very nasal intonation, extremely rural and very identifiable. Lyrically, his material featured catchy repetitive choruses and narrative verses steeped in strong colourful imagery. He was especially adept at painting graphic pictures of the darker, seemier side of life. Some purists labelled him a blasphemer.
- John Hammond of Columbia Records had been searching for someone with a message and Dylan fit the bill. He was also very impressed with his harmonica playing. Other Columbia executives called the signing "Hammond's Folly" but as usual Hammond's foresight was right on target.
- May 12, 1963 - Dylan refused to perform on The Ed Sullivan Show when CBS censors stated that he could not play his "Talking John Birch Society Blues."
- May, 1963 - Appeared at the first Monterey Folk Festival in California.
- 1963 - Captivated his audience at The Newport Folk Festival.
- In 1963 alone, his classic songs included "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright," "A Hard Rain," "The Times They Are A Changin,'" and an anthem for the sixties, "Blowin' In The Wind."
- Oct. 26, 1963 - SRO Carnegie Hall concert.
- 1964 - Dylan, always a visionary, impressed with The Beatles' electric energy, decided to experiment in the rock idiom.
- June, 1965 - His electric based recording of "Like A Rolling Stone" (about a young girl's decline from boarding school to streetwalker) became his first radio hit, climbing to #2 in July, 1965.
- July 25, 1965 - He appeared at The Newport Folk Festival backed by The Paul Butterfield Blues Band and was immediately booed. Dylan had gone electric. The critics had a field day but in retrospect, the event had a tremendous effect on the history of modern music.
- By the time of the "Highway 61 Revisited" album (1965), he had fully established himself as an electric artist. The Byrds had recorded his most famous song, "Mr. Tambourine Man"(May, 1965)#1 and many other artists were giving Dylan's songs an electric treatment. Purists implied that he had overstepped the boundaries of folk music. Actually, he had given birth to folk rock, leading folk in a new direction.
- He interested many folk acts in electric music and he introduced many rock musicians to folk music.
- Nov. 22, 1965 - Married Sara Lowndes, not acknowledging the marriage until the following year.
- July 29, 1966 - A motorcycle accident led to a short retirement.
- 1967 - Met Woody Guthrie shortly before his death.
- Summer, 1969 - His "Great White Wonder" was the first bootleg album. It was a 2 record set, first appearing in Los Angeles, California.
- Sept., 1969 - Appeared at The Isle Of Wight Festival.
- Nov. 11, 1970 - His novel, "Tarantula" was published.
- 1975 - Toured with a 75 piece entourage called The Rolling Thunder Revue.
- 1979 - Became born again and his music reflected his new found religious beliefs.
- Appeared in several films including "Don't Look Back"(1965), "Eat The Document"(1969), "Pat Garrett And Billy The Kid"(1973) and "Renaldo And Clara"(1978).
- March, 1982 - Inducted into The Songwriter's Hall Of Fame.
- July 13, 1985 - Closed the Live Aid concert.
- Later, worked with The Grateful Dead and became a member of The Travelling Wilburys supergroup featuring Dylan, George Harrison, Tom Petty and Roy Orbison.
- Jan. 18, 1989 - Bruce Springsteen inducted Dylan into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
- Feb. 20, 1991 - Awarded The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
- 1992 - The Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration took place at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
- 1998 - Dylan and son Jakob (leader of The Wallflowers) were the first father and son to win individual Grammys in the same year.
- May, 2000 - Received the Polar Music Prize from King Carl Gustav of Sweden.
- 2001 - Released the "Love And Theft" album featuring "Honest With Me."
- Dylan is elusive and cannot be pinned down or categorized - poet, singer, songwriter, visionary, actor, rebel, prophet and rocker.
- Hits include "Subterranean Homesick Blues"(April, 1965)#39, "Positively 4th Street"(Oct., 1965)#7, "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" (April, 1966)#2, "Just Like A Woman"(Sept., 1966)#33, "Lay Lady Lay"(July, 1969)#7, "Knockin' On Heaven's Door"(Sept., 1973)#12, "Tangled Up In Blue"(March, 1975)#31 and "Gotta Serve Somebody" (Sept., 1979)#24 .
- (Feb. 20, 1941 – )
- Singer/songwriter/guitarist/pianist born on the Piapot Reserve in Craven, Saskatchewan, Canada, later moving to Sebago Lake, Maine.
- Born to Cree Indian parents.
- Adopted at an early age and raised mainly in Massachusetts.
- 1963 - Moved to New York City.
- Broke into the folk music scene via appearances at The Gaslight Cafe in Greenwich Village, New York.
- Learned to play the Indian mouthbow from singer/songwriter Patrick Sky. She has continued to feature the instrument in her concerts to the delight of her audiences.
- May, 1964 - A one time codeine addict, she recorded her classic "Cod'ine," one of the most harrowing songs about drug abuse.
- 1965 - Donovan had a hit with her poignant "Universal Soldier," bringing international attention. However, the song reaches perfection only when executed by its composer.
- 1972 - Elvis Presley recorded her wistful "Until It's Time For You To Go."
- 1982 - She won a Grammy Award as co-writer of "Up Where We Belong"(Aug., 1982)#1-3 wks. (from the film, "An Officer And A Gentleman") performed by Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes.
- Buffy Sainte-Marie is a unique one of a kind artist - a true troubadour. Her riveting performances of songs like "My Country 'Tis Of Thy People You're Dying" can send chills up and down the listener's spine.
- March 26, 1995 - Recipient of the Juno Hall Of Fame Award.
- Hits include "It's My Way"(May, 1964), "Piney Wood Hills"(1965), "I'm Gonna Be A Country Girl Again"(Nov., 1971)#98 and "He's An Indian Cowboy In The Rodeo"(Aug., 1972)#98.
- (Nov. 17, 1938 – )
- Singer/songwriter/guitarist born in Orillia, Ontario, Canada.
- 1955 - Wrote his first song, "The Hula Hoop Song."
- 1958 - Studied orchestration at Westlake College Of Music in Los Angeles.
- 1959 - Returned to Canada joining a square-dance outfit called The Swinging Singing Eight.
- Teamed with Terry Whelan as The Tu-Tones, recording one album, "The Tu-Tones Live At The Greenwich Village Corner” in 1960.
- 1963 - Released his debut single, "Negotiations."
- 1963 - Lived in England for a year, performing often on TV.
- Back in Canada, he appeared on the CTV show, "Let's Sing Out" with Oscar Brand.
- 1965 - Began recording solo.
- Gathered a repertoire of original songs including "Early Morning Rain"(June, 1966), "For Lovin' Me"(Dec., 1966) and "Spin Spin" (Dec., 1966). The first two were also recorded by Ian & Sylvia.
- 1965 - Peter, Paul & Mary and Ian & Sylvia began recording his songs.
- Sept., 1974 - His "Sundown" album sold one million copies.
- 16 time winner of The ASCAP Award Of Merit.
- By 1986, he had accumulated 16 Juno Awards.
- Lightfoot was awarded The Royal Order Of Canada.
- Feb. 10, 1985 - Lightfoot led off the landmark recording of "Tears Are Not Enough," the Canadian benefit song for African famine relief.
- Hits include "If You Could Read My Mind"(Dec., 1970)#5, "Beautiful"(May, 1972)#58, "Sundown"(April, 1974)#1, "Carefree Highway"(Aug., 1974)#10, "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald" (Aug., 1976)#2 and "Blackberry Wine"(June, 1982).
- Ian Tyson (Sept. 25, 1933 – )
- Singer/songwriter/guitarist born in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
- Sylvia Fricker (Sept. 19, 1940 – )
- Singer/songwriter born in Chatham, Ontario, Canada.
- Fricker met Tyson in Toronto's Yorkville, fusing her pure folk voice with his western stylings.
- 1964 - The two married and began writing songs together.
- 1964 - Recorded Gordon Lightfoot's "Early Morning Rain" and "For Lovin' Me."
- They went to New York where they met future manager Albert Grossman and signed to Vanguard Records.
- Ian & Sylvia were a great influence on many artists including Bob Dylan and Cisco Houston.
- They were probably "the" premier folk rock act.
- Oct., 1964 - Bobby Bare had a #60 hit with Tyson's "Four Strong Winds". Later, it became a much recorded standard.
- July, 1965 - We Five had a #3 hit with Sylvia Tyson's "You Were On My Mind." The song became a folk rock classic.
- 1969 - Formed The Great Speckled Bird, a free form country jazz group featuring David Wilcox on guitar.
- Later divorced, they enjoyed successful solo careers, reuniting regularly to the delight of their fans.
- March, 1992 - Inducted into The Canadian Music Hall Of Fame.
- Recommended Vanguard compilation album - "The Best Of Ian & Sylvia."
- (July 10, 1947 – )
- Singer/songwriter/guitarist born in Coney Island, New York.
- Son of the legendary folksinger Woody Guthrie.
- 1967 - Debuted his classic "Alice's Restaurant Massacree" at The Newport Folk Festival.
- Guthrie sees his music as moral rather than political.
- He is a true folk artist, keeping alive the legacy handed down by his father.
- Albums include "Arlo Guthrie"(1974) and "Power Of Love"(1981).
- Hits include "Alice's Rock & Roll Restaurant"(Dec., 1969)#97 and "The City Of New Orleans"(July, 1972)#18.
- (1936 – )
- Singer/guitarist/actress born in Waco, Texas.
- An actress at the age of 13, she moved to New York City to study drama.
- One of the original folk queens of the 1960's.
- Toured with The New Lost City Ramblers and The Song Spinners.
- 1961 - Signed to Columbia and releasing her debut LP, "Carolyn Hester" which featured Bob Dylan on harmonica.
- 1962 - Married Richard Farina and toured Britain with him.
- During the mid 1960's, formed an unsuccessful folk rock group called The Carolyn Hester Coalition.
- Retired in the late 1960's, returning to recording (RCA) in the 1970's and becoming a director of the annual folk festivals in Kerrville, Texas.
- Hits include "Reason To Believe"(1966) and "I Love My Dog"(April, 1967).
- Judith Marjorie Collins (May 1, 1939 – )
- Singer/songwriter/pianist/guitarist born in Seattle, Washington.
- Daughter of musician Chuck Collins.
- Raised in Denver, Colorado.
- A child prodigy on the piano, later taking up the guitar.
- Early, 1959 - Began playing the coffee house circuit.
- March, 1961 - Signed to Elektra, recording 2 traditional albums, "A Maid Of Constant Sorrow"(1961) and "Golden Apples Of The Sun" (1962).
- 1966 - After successfully acquiring a folk audience, she began experimenting with a wide range of different styles. During a concert at Carnegie Hall, she performed with a chamber music ensemble.
- Jan., 1967 - Her debut single, "Hard Lovin' Loser" charted at #97.
- Famous for her crystal clear soprano voice and amazing blue eyes.
- Crosby, Stills And Nash immortalized her with their recording of "Suite Judy Blue Eyes"(Oct., 1969)#21.
- Collins successfully crossed over into folk rock and pop.
- July, 1995 - Both her new album and first novel were titled "Shameless."
- Hits include "Both Sides Now"(Nov., 1968)#8, "Someday Soon"(Feb., 1969)#55, "Amazing Grace"(Dec., 1970)#15, "Cook With Honey"(Feb., 1973)#32 and "Send In The Clowns"(June, 1975)#36, (Sept., 1977) #19.
- Timothy Charles Buckley III (Feb. 14, 1947 - June 29, 1975)
- Singer/songwriter/guitarist born in Washington, D.C.
- Father of folk singer/songwriter Jeff Buckley (Nov. 17, 1966 - June 9, 1997).
- Raised in Amsterdam, New York.
- 1957 - Moved to California.
- 1962 - Played guitar in C&W bands.
- Formed a trio with bassist Jim Fielder and lyricist Larry Beckett.
- 1966 - Signed with Elektra, releasing the "Tim Buckley" album featuring "Valentine Medley" and "Song Slowly Song."
- 1967 - Released the "Hello And Goodbye" album featuring "Morning Glory" and "Once I Was."
- Album releases include "Happy Sad"(1968), "Blue Afternoon"(1969), "Lorca"(1970), "Starsailor"(1970), "Greetings From L.A."(1973) and "Sefronia"(1973).
- 1970 - His material gradually became more experimental.
- June 29, 1975 - Died in Santa Monica, California from a heroin and morphine overdose.
- (Dec. 19, 1940 - April 9, 1976)
- Singer/songwriter/guitarist born in El Paso, Texas.
- Studied journalism at Ohio State University where he composed his first song, "Ballad Of The Cuban Invasion."
- Probably the most forceful of all the folk protest artists, famous for his anti-Vietnam War songs.
- Nicknamed "The Kipling Of The New Left."
- In Greenwich Village, became a member of the Bob Dylan, Dave Van Ronk, Tom Paxton crowd.
- Managed by his brother Michael.
- 1964 - Signed to Elektra, he released his debut album, "All The News That's Fit To Sing" which featured the powerful "Bound For Glory."
- 1965 - Composed the Joan Baez hit, "There But For Fortune."
- Often compared to Dylan, although he rarely ventured past songs concerned with injustice.
- Before his death, took on the alter ego, John Butler Train.
- April 9, 1976 - Committed suicide by hanging himself at his sister's house in Far Rockaway, New York.
- Songs include "Love Me I'm A Liberal," "Links On The Chain," "Draft Dodger Rag" and "I Ain't Marchin' Anymore."
- Albums include "I Ain't Marchin' Anymore"(1965), "Pleasures Of The Harbor"(1967), "Tape From California"(1968) and "Rehearsals For Retirement"(1969).
DONOVAN
JONI MITCHELL
- See The Singer/Songwriter
- (Dec. 23, 1941 - Dec. 29, 1980)
- Singer/songwriter/guitarist born in Eugene, Oregon.
- A distant relative of the notorious outlaw John Wesley Hardin.
- Prolific folk/blues artist.
- 1961 - After discharge from the marines, became an important figure in the Boston folk scene.
- 1962 - Recorded his debut album, "This Is Tim Hardin," not being released until Sept., 1967.
- By late, 1963, he was a regular fixture in Greenwich Village.
- 1965 - Signed to Verve Records.
- 1966 - Made his initial impact at The Newport Folk Festival.
- In his short career as a writer, he composed several classics including "If I Were A Carpenter," "Reason To Believe," "Misty Roses," "Lady From Baltimore" and "Don't Make Promises."
- Dec. 29, 1980 - Died of a heroin overdose in Los Angeles, California.
- Albums include "This Is Tim Hardin"(1966), "Tim Hardin"(1966), "Tim Hardin II"(1967), "Bird On A Wire"(1971) and "Painted Head" (1972).
- Hits include "Hang On To A Dream"(Jan., 1967)#50 UK and "Simple Song Of Freedom"(Aug., 1969)#50.
- (Oct. 31, 1937 – )
- Singer/songwriter/guitarist born in Chicago, Illinois.
- Raised in Bristow, Oklahoma.
- 1960 - Began playing in Greenwich Village coffee houses.
- His compositions have been recorded by The Kingston Trio, Peter, Paul & Mary and John Denver.
- 1965 - Signed with Elektra, releasing the "Ramblin' Boy" album.
- Most of his material features strong social and political themes.
- 1969 - Appeared at The Isle Of Wight Festival and settled in Britain. Paxton was more popular in England than in the U.S.
- Songs include "The Last Thing On My Mind," "Rambling Boy" and "Talking Viet Nam Pot Luck Blues."
- Albums include "Ain't That News"(1965), "Morning Again"(1968), "New Songs For Old Friends"(1973) and "Something In My Life" (1975).
- Recommended album - "Complete Tom Paxton" on Elektra.
- (Sept., 1940 – )
- Singer/songwriter born in Washington, D.C.
- One time student priest.
- Began in The Big Three with Cass Elliot.
- 1966 - Wrote the much recorded "Morning Dew."
- 1967 - Released the "Tim Rose" album featuring a version of "Hey Joe."
- During the 1970's, moved to Britain and faded into obscurity.
- Recommended debut album - "Tim Rose"(Columbia).
- Richard Pierce Havens (Jan. 21, 1941 – )
- Singer/guitarist born in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of New York City.
- Black folk singer of emotional strength and percussive guitar style.
- His unique guitar style features an open E-chord tuning and rapid strumming technique.
- 1962 - Began playing the Greenwich Village coffee house circuit.
- 1965 - First performed with The McCrea Gospel Singers.
- 1965 - Released his debut album, "A Richie Havens Record" on Douglas Records which was only available to his Greenwich following.
- 1967 - His first commercial release on Verve Forecast, "Mixed Bag" was mostly covers.
- Aug. 16, 1969 - Made history by being the opening act at The Woodstock Festival.
- Feb., 1971 - Released his most successful album, "Alarm Clock" which peaked at #29.
- Film appearances include Greased Lightning"(1972) and "Hearts Of Fire"(1987).
- His only charted hit was "Here Comes The Sun"(March, 1971)#16.
- (March 30, 1964 – )
- Singer/songwriter/guitarist born in Cleveland, Ohio.
- 1985 - Began performing in an African drum ensemble at Tufts University.
- Began performing her own material on the Boston club circuit.
- Jan., 1989 - Winner of The Best New Artist Grammy.
- April 16, 1990 - Appeared at the Nelson Mandella International Tribute at London's Wembley Stadium.
- After the initial impact, Chapman found it difficult to live up to the hype.
- 1996 - Returned with a vengeance with the electric "New Beginning" album featuring the earthy "Give Me One Reason."
- 2000 - Released the "Telling Stories" album.
- 2003 - Released the "Let It Rain" album.
- Hits include "Fast Car"(June, 1988)#6, "Talkin' 'Bout A Revolution"(Oct., 1988)#75, "Baby Can I Hold You"(Nov., 1988)#48 and "Give Me One Reason"(June, 1996)#3.
ALSO SEE
- Chapter 5: The Blues
- Chapter 14: Country And Western
- Chapter 24: American Rock And Pop Of The Sixties - Folk Rock
- Chapter 30: The Singer/Songwriter
BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Baez, Joan. "And A Voice To Sing With." (Summit Books).
- Byworth, Tony. "Giants Of Country Music." (Bison Books).
- Dellar, Cackett & Thompson. "Country Music." (Harmony).
- Ewen, David. "All The Years Of American Popular Music." (Prentice - Hall).
- Goddard & Kamin. "Shakin' All Over." (McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd.).
- Hood, Phil. "Artists Of American Folk Music." (William Morrow & Co. Inc.).
- Hopkins, Jerry. "Festival - The Book Of American Music Celebrations" (Collier Books).
- Palmer, Tony. "All You Need Is Love." (The Macmillan Company).
- Scaduto, Anthony. "Bob Dylan - An Intimate Biography." (Grosset & Dunlap Inc.).
- Simon, George T. & Friends. "The Best Of The Music Makers." (Doubleday & Co.).
- Wenzel, Lynn & Carol J. Binkowski. "I Hear America Singing." (Crown).
- Whitburn, Joel. "Pop Memories 1890 - 1954." (Record Research).
- Whitburn, Joel. "Top Country Singles 1944 - 1988." (Record Research).
- Whitburn, Joel. "Top Pop Singles 1955 - 1990." (Record Research).