I belong to a listening group that gets together to socialize and listen to music. We meet in each of our homes on a rotating basis. The host provides the playlist, wine, and food. When it is my turn, I usually make a playlist with a specific theme. In preparation for one of these sessions, I decided on folk singers as my theme. I created a much-too-long list of every folk singer or group whom I ever enjoyed, and was faced with the dilemma of selecting which ones to play for the group. I decided on familiarity as my main criterion and chose artists associated with the folk music revival of the 1960s: Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, Leonard Cohen, the Kingston Trio, et al.
When I was done, I found that there were 21 unincluded folk singers or groups that I liked, mostly artists from an earlier time. This led to my constructing a second playlist for my own enjoyment, which can be viewed as a “B-side” to my first one. I find that I prefer this second playlist and listen to it much more frequently than the first.
This is the second of a series of three articles discussing “the other folk singers” on that second playlist.
Lead Belly. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/American Folklife Center, Library of Congress/public domain.
Lead Belly
Huddie Ledbetter, better known as Lead Belly, was born on a Louisiana plantation in 1888 or 1889. His preferred instrument was the 12-string guitar but he also played accordion, piano, harmonica, mandolin, violin, and bass. As a teenager, he developed his musical style in the saloons and brothels on Shreveport’s Fannin Street, an area now referred to as Ledbetter Heights. Beginning in 1915, Lead Belly served a series of prison terms. In 1918, he was convicted of murder in Texas and given a sentence of 30 years. That sentence was commuted by the Governor of Texas after seven years after having seen Lead Belly perform while visiting the prison.
A few years later, Lead Belly was convicted of attempted murder and sent to Louisiana’s Angola prison. There he was discovered by father and son folklorists John and Alan Lomax, who were working on a project for the Library of Congress whose goal was to preserve traditional music. The Lomaxes secured his release from Angola and recorded 48 of his songs. Lead Belly then embarked on a concert tour of Eastern colleges. His first commercial recordings were blues, rather than folk-oriented and had little commercial success. He moved to New York City and did a series of performances at Harlem’s Apollo Theater. Before long he was jailed again, this time for assault.
Alan Lomax raised money for Lead Belly’s legal defense and helped secure his release, after which Lead Belly was a regular on Lomax’s radio show. He then teamed with folk singer Josh White on a six-month engagement at the Village Vanguard in New York’s Greenwich Village. He became a key player in New York’s thriving folk music scene and befriended Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and many other artists of that genre. His career began to take off and he went to California in 1940 to record an album for RCA Victor.
Lead Belly was an accomplished songwriter who had a repertoire of 500 songs. He authored “Cotton Fields” and “Goodnight, Irene” among many others. The Weavers’ rendition of “Goodnight, Irene” sold over one million copies and was the first folk song to reach number one on the popular music charts. Lead Belly brought traditional songs such as “Rock Island Line” and “The Midnight Special” to the forefront of folk music, so much so that they are sometimes mistakenly attributed to his authorship.
Lead Belly developed Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS) and died in 1949. He was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Smithsonian has released a five-CD box set of his recordings.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott, 100 Classic Recordings from the Early Years, album cover.
Ramblin’ Jack Elliott
Ramblin’ Jack Elliott (neé Elliott Charles Adnopoz) was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1931. His father was a successful surgeon and it was expected that Elliott would follow in those footsteps. However, he became enamored with the rodeo and rebelled, running away from home at the age of 14 to join a traveling rodeo. He wanted to be a cowboy! After a few months, his family tracked him down and brought him home.
However, he was hooked. Having had a few lessons from some rodeo people, Elliott taught himself how to play the guitar and became acclaimed at both the traditional finger-picking and flat-picking styles. After graduating from high school, he met Woody Guthrie and moved in with the Guthrie family. Elliott began traveling with Guthrie and became so enthralled by his friend that he studied and adopted his musical persona. Guthrie has been quoted as saying, “Jack sounds more like me than I do.” Guthrie became ill and began a very long confinement in mental institutions when his son, Arlo, was a very young boy. Accordingly, Arlo never got to know his father very well and learned Woody’s songs and performing style from Elliott.
After traveling with Guthrie for several years, Elliott met and married his first of five wives and moved to England. There he had a string of hits and toured throughout Europe, often singing Guthrie’s songs. When he returned to the US in 1961, he became a legend in the Greenwich Village folk scene. Elliott met Bob Dylan while visiting Guthrie in the hospital and became a mentor of Dylan's. He would sometimes refer to Dylan as “my son.” He was in high demand at that time and recorded with the likes of Johnny Cash, Phil Ochs, and Tim Hardin.
While Elliott traveled his entire adult life, his “Ramblin’” nickname is based upon the manner in which he tells stories. They ramble! He has two Grammy awards to his credit and was the recipient of the National Medal of the Arts from President Clinton. Elliott is alive and well and still ramblin’ at the age of 92.
The Browns, Looking Back to See, album cover.
The Browns
Jim Ed Brown and his older sister, Maxine, began singing as a duo in country music venues in Arkansas in the early 1950s. Younger sister Bonnie joined the act a few years later and the Browns were born. They had quite a few top country hits during that decade. In 1959, they recorded their signature song, “The Three Bells,” that reached number one on both the country and popular music charts. “The Three Bells” had been one of Edith Piaf’s greatest hits. The Browns’ rendition sold over a million copies and was nominated for the Grammy Record of the Year Award. Sometimes there is a fine line between folk music and country, blues, or more recently, singer-songwriter genres. The Browns clearly crossed that line.
“The Three Bells” was so popular with fans of folk and pop music that it led to network TV appearances and overseas tours for the Browns. They appeared on shows such as American Bandstand and The Ed Sullivan Show. During the next two years, multiple songs by the Browns found their way onto the popular music charts, most notably “Scarlet Ribbons (For Her Hair)” and “The Old Lamplighter.” In 1963, they were awarded membership in The Grand Ole Opry.
In 1965 Jim Ed began performing as a solo artist in addition to continuing with his sisters. While their popularity with the more general audience dwindled, they continued to regularly find their way onto the country music charts. In 1968, the Browns disbanded. Maxine had a brief solo career but both sisters left the music business and went home to Arkansas to raise their families.
Jim Ed continued his solo career. He performed as a duet for several years with country artist Helen Cornelius. In addition to occasionally hosting the Grand Ole Opry, he also hosted a syndicated television program for six years. He then hosted two series on The Nashville Network and, later, a syndicated radio program that was carried by over 300 stations. He passed away at the age of 81 in 2015. Both sisters died shortly thereafter.
The Very Best of Burl Ives, album cover.
Burl Ives
Born in 1909, Burl Ives had an extensive career as a singer, musician, actor, and author. After dropping out of college, he became an itinerant singer, wandering, doing odd jobs, and street singing. His travels took him to 46 states, Canada, and Mexico where he performed as “Burl Ives, The Vagabond Lover.” His primary instrument was the banjo but he also played guitar. Later he settled in Indiana where he, surprisingly, was a semi-professional football player!
Ives moved to New York City and found his way into Broadway musicals. This led to a four-month engagement at the Village Vanguard in Greenwich Village and his own national CBS radio show called The Wayfaring Stranger. On this show he popularized many of the songs that he learned during his travels. Children were fascinated by this gentle giant (he stood 6 ft. 3 in. and weighed almost 300 pounds) and he popularized songs such as “Big Rock Candy Mountain” and “Frosty the Snowman.”
Ives was drafted into the Army during World War II. After being discharged for medical reasons, he continued to entertain the troops and also returned to Broadway. Next came Hollywood, where he made his film debut in 1945. Over the next decade, Ives wrote his autobiography and short stories and produced folk song anthologies and verses for children. In the 1950s, his Hollywood career blossomed with roles in East of Eden, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and The Big Country, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. The 1960s saw his attention turn to television, where he made numerous appearances. He officially retired from show business in 1989.
Burl Ives had a remarkable career: 100 record albums, 30-plus movies, 13 Broadway shows, many TV appearances, and much more. He was a lifelong smoker of pipes and cigars and died from oral cancer at the age of 85.
Fred Neil, Clear, album cover.
Fred Neil
Frederick Morlock, Jr., better known as Fred Neil, was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1936 and raised in St. Petersburg, Florida. He may be the greatest singer/songwriter that most people have never heard of. Neil had a beautiful, deep baritone voice, was an accomplished 12-string guitar player, and wrote songs best known for being covered by others. His most recognized song is surely “Everybody’s Talkin’,” the theme song from Midnight Cowboy that vaulted Harry Nilsson to stardom. Some of his early songs were covered by the likes of Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison.
In the early 1960s, Neil became a fixture in the Greenwich Village music scene. Bob Dylan’s first paid engagement after arriving in New York was backing Neil on harmonica. Unlike many of his folk music contemporaries, Neil seldom addressed political and social issues of the day, touching more on internal emotional themes. His “The Other Side of This Life” was recorded by Jefferson Airplane, the Lovin’ Spoonful, Peter, Paul and Mary, and many others. Those who recorded “The Dolphins” include Linda Ronstadt, Dion, and Tim Buckley. “Candy Man,” co-written by Neil, was covered by Roy Orbison, Al Kooper, Waylon Jennings, the Hollies, and more. In addition to Bob Dylan, it is said that he greatly influenced David Crosby, Stephen Stills, John Sebastian, Richie Havens, Joni Mitchell, Tim Hardin, and many others.
I got to see Fred Neil several times at the Cafe Au Go Go. At that time, he was known as the “King of Greenwich Village” and it was clear that Neil was revered in the folk music community. In all honesty, I was not a fan and didn’t come to appreciate his greatness until much later. I think this was largely due to Neil refusing to do the things he needed to succeed as an artist. He didn’t interact much with the audience and that undoubtedly contributed to my not appreciating his music. In that vein, in the decade or so in which he performed, he only granted one published interview. Neil also refused to tour and had periodic contractual issues with his record companies.
Howard Solomon, the owner of the Cafe Au Go Go, sold the club in 1969 and became Neil’s manager. Capitol Records was withholding royalties due to his failure to deliver music as stipulated in his contract. Solomon pulled together one final Fred Neil album, Other Side of This Life, that was produced in 1971. Neil then returned to Florida to dedicate himself to the Save the Dolphins effort and rarely performed again. It is said that he could often be seen playing his guitar and singing to the dolphins.
Fred Neil died in 2001 at the age of 65. Years ago, the iconic sportscaster, Howard Cosell, wrote his autobiography called I Never Played the Game. If Fred Neil had written a book about his life, that would be an appropriate title.
The Chad Mitchell Trio. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/1965 Michiganensian, p. 42/public domain.
The Chad Mitchell Trio
The Chad Mitchell Trio was formed in 1958 by Mike Kobluk, Mike Pugh, and Chad Mitchell, three glee club members at Gonzaga University. They were a vocal group accompanied by session musicians. (One of those session musicians was Jim McGuinn, who went by his middle name, Roger, instead of Jim when he formed the Byrds.) A common element to much of the folk music popularity of that era was political and social commentary. A key distinguishing characteristic of the Chad Mitchell Trio was their use of satire. They made people laugh.
Shortly after the Chad Mitchell Trio formed they were booked for a four-week stint at the Blue Angel in Greenwich Village. They were so successful that four weeks became 12, which led to an association with Harry Belafonte and an appearance at one of his Carnegie Hall concerts. Three Chad Mitchell Trio songs appear on Belafonte’s second Carnegie Hall album (Belafonte Returns to Carnegie Hall). They were then signed to a contract by Belafonte’s management firm. Mike Pugh then left the group, replaced by baritone Joe Frazier. The Belafonte team had them performing mostly conventional folk songs and they left to sign with Kapp Records. They now began adding satire to their music with songs such as “The John Birch Society.”
By the early 1960s, the Chad Mitchell Trio was one of the top folk groups on the college and club circuit, rivaling the Kingston Trio and Peter, Paul and Mary. They were regularly appearing on television and radio. They became very interested in what was then a little-known song, Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ In The Wind,” and wanted to release it as a single. Their record company refused. Several months later, Peter, Paul and Mary recorded that song and it became a smash hit, making “Blowin’ in the Wind” one of the signature songs of the folk era. The group had missed a golden opportunity and it turned out to be a turning point in their career. They would forever be in the shadow of Peter, Paul and Mary and other folk artists and would never achieve large record sales. This seriously damaged their relationship with their producer and record label, and they moved on to Mercury Records in 1963.
Their new label didn’t seem all that interested in promoting the Chad Mitchell Trio. In 1965, Dylan had gone electric and folk-rock was taking center stage. Chad Mitchell left the group to pursue a solo career and a young John Denver replaced him. The group was now known as the Mitchell Trio. Both acts had limited success and within a few years, Chad Mitchell had stopped recording and the Mitchell Trio was no more. However, there have been periodic reunion concerts of the original trio over the years.
Harry Belafonte. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/Arquivo Nacional/public domain.
Harry Belafonte
Born in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood, Harry Belafonte was a compelling singer, actor and social activist and a key figure in 1950’s folk music. His parents were born on the islands of Jamaica and Martinique and that contributed to his interest in calypso music, which he popularized internationally. His Calypso album was the first album ever to sell over a million copies. His song, “Day-O” (“The Banana Boat Song”), can be considered one of the most enduring songs in all of music. To this day, countless sports teams regularly use Belafonte’s “Day-O” chant as a rallying cry during games. Belafonte was a recipient of Grammy, Emmy, and Tony awards, and an honorary Oscar. He was also an important player in the civil rights movement and other social causes.
Belafonte began his career as a club singer, primarily to pay for acting lessons. He soon took a liking to folk music and enjoyed rapid success in the music business. Before long, he was performing at New York’s Village Vanguard. This led to a contract with the prestigious RCA Victor label, for which he recorded for over 20 years. His first hit single was “Matilda,” which he recorded in 1953. Next came a Broadway debut, Almanac, that resulted in his winning a Tony award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical.
In 1953 Belafonte also made his film debut, and the following year had the lead role in Carmen Jones, a huge success. In addition to other starring roles, he began producing films. He then took a break from films and began producing for television. Belafonte continued to record and, in 1960, won a Grammy for Best Folk Performance and, years later, their Lifetime Achievement Award. He continued to record and received much acclaim for two live recordings of concerts at Carnegie Hall (Belafonte at Carnegie Hall and Belafonte Returns to Carnegie Hall). [The former is an audiophile classic and sounds amazing on a good system – Ed.] He was recruited by Frank Sinatra to perform at the inaugural gala for President Kennedy. In 1970, he returned to film and acted in numerous movies into the 1990s. His final film appearance was in 2018.
If that wasn’t enough, Belafonte was heavily involved in social causes. He was one of Martin Luther King’s most trusted friends and helped organize the famous Freedom March on Washington, DC. Dr. King’s wife wrote in her autobiography, "Whenever we got into trouble or when tragedy struck, Harry has always come to our aid, his generous heart wide-open." He helped organize Nelson Mandela’s first trip to the US after Mandela was released from prison. Belafonte’s social activism wasn’t limited to civil rights. He became a UNICEF goodwill ambassador and was also given the Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Harry Belafonte died a year ago at the age of 96.
This is the second of a series of three articles on “the other folk singers.” The final installment will feature the Highwaymen, Cisco Houston, Karen Dalton, the Brothers Four, the Clancy Brothers, Patrick Sky, and Pete Seeger.
Header image: Ramblin' Jack Elliott, ourtesy of Wikimedia Commons/K8 fan at English Wikipedia.
