Latest news with #FirstSongs
Deccan Herald
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Deccan Herald
Online repository of Indian lullabies goes live
The project, called First Songs, aims to harness the power of lullabies to support early language acquisition, emotional bonding, and literacy.
The Guardian
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Michael Hurley, hero of the US folk underground, dies aged 83
Michael Hurley, the American singer-songwriter whose unique path through the US folk scene made him an inspiration to generations of alternative musicians, has died aged 83. A statement from the family announced his 'recent sudden passing', though no cause of death has been given. It added: 'The 'godfather of freak folk' was for a prolific half-century the purveyor of an eccentric genius and compassionate wit … There is no other. Friends, family and the music community deeply mourn his loss.' Born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in 1941, Hurley was the son of an operetta director and travelled the country with him as a child. This itinerant nature continued into young adulthood, when he started out as a musician – hitchhiking one day he was picked up by folklorist Fred Ramsey, who ended up producing his debut album First Songs which was released on the storied US label Folkways in 1964. The label, now Smithsonian Folkways, has paid tribute, writing: 'His wit and wild imagination, steadfast through the decades, are a beacon for singers and songwriters seeking to express the joys and fantastical idiosyncrasies of the world.' Hurley spent time in New York's flourishing folk-revival scene, home to the likes of Bob Dylan, but by his own admission didn't have the drive to climb the music career ladder. 'I didn't enjoy the process of applying for gigs, that determination to penetrate things, all this trouble you had to go through,' he told the Guardian in 2021. 'I preferred playing parties. Little gatherings. Drinking with friends, hopping across the river.' He shuttled between jobs and locales – 'moccasin maker, carpenter, apple picker, tipi maker' was part of a long list of work he related in 2021 – but continued to put out music, eventually releasing more than 30 albums of material featuring his own cover illustrations (often populated by cartoon wolves). The shaggy, spirited energy of these genial records, backed by small ensembles and spanning straightforward folk as well as bluegrass and folk-rock, inspired numerous artists across US alternative music, from folk-leaning singer-songwriters such as Lucinda Williams and Bonnie 'Prince' Billy to alt-rockers such as Yo La Tengo. His most recent album is 2021's The Time of the Foxgloves, which was a return to original songwriting after 12 years away. He had performed concerts in recent days, in Tennessee and North Carolina. Mike Quinn, founder of No Quarter Records, said that Hurley had 'just finished a new album. It was mastered the week before he died, and he was very proud of it (as he should be… it's outstanding). Hopeful it will see the light of day soon.'
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Michael Hurley, singer-songwriter and 'Godfather of freak folk,' dies at 83
Michael Hurley, the eccentric singer and songwriter who pioneered the "freak-folk" movement and inspired generations of artists, has died. He was 83. "It is with a resounding sadness that the Hurley family announces the recent sudden passing of the inimitable Michael Hurley,' Hurley's family said in a statement to Rolling Stone. 'The 'Godfather of freak folk' was for a prolific half-century the purveyor of an eccentric genius and compassionate wit. He alone was Snock. There is no other. Friends, family, and the music community deeply mourn his loss.' The family did not offer cause of death or a list of survivors. Hurley, born in Pennsylvania, honed his cracked perspective on bluegrass, blues and folk in the Greenwich Village folk scene in New York in the '60s, after producer and folklorist Fred Ramsey picked him up on a hitchiking ramble. He released his debut album, 1964's "First Songs," on Folkways, the acclaimed home of Woody Guthrie and curator Harry Smith's "Anthology of American Folk Music." Hurley's talents were manifold — he designed and illustrated most of his charming hand-drawn album art, and learned a diversity of instruments including banjo and fiddle. His songs had a stark, strange quality that could be both beautiful (as on "Be Kind to Me" and "Valley of Tears") and surreal ("What Made My Hamburger Disappear?" or "You're a Dog; Don't Talk to Me"). He was a childhood friend of future Youngbloods singer Jesse Colin Young, who would champion Hurley's skewed vision by releasing 1971's "Armchair Boogie" and 1972's "Hi Fi Snock Uptown" on his Warner Bros. imprint Raccoon. 1976's "Have Moicy!" became an underground cult favorite, and his rapidly expanding catalog would grow to more than 30 LPs. Along the way, indie rockers and like-minded singer songwriters like Lucinda Williams and Cat Power (who hauntingly interpreted his single "Werewolf" on her classic 2003 LP "You Are Free") would champion his work. Devendra Banhart released Hurley albums on his Gnomonsong label, and Hurley appeared in the 2018 film "Leave No Trace," where he performed "O My Stars." "Calling me an outsider artist … yes, I think it's apt," he told the Guardian in 2021. "It's taken me a long time to join the gang... I didn't enjoy the process of applying for gigs, that determination to penetrate things, all this trouble you had to go through. I preferred playing parties. Little gatherings. Drinking with friends, hopping across the river.' Hurley lived in rural Oregon in his final years, releasing his last album, "The Time of the Foxgloves," in 2021. He continued to write and perform at gigs including the Big Ears festival in Tennessee just days before his death. Get notified when the biggest stories in Hollywood, culture and entertainment go live. Sign up for L.A. Times entertainment alerts. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Michael Hurley, singer-songwriter and ‘Godfather of freak folk,' dies at 83
Michael Hurley, the eccentric singer and songwriter who pioneered the 'freak-folk' movement and inspired generations of artists, has died. He was 83. 'It is with a resounding sadness that the Hurley family announces the recent sudden passing of the inimitable Michael Hurley,' Hurley's family said in a statement to Rolling Stone. 'The 'Godfather of freak folk' was for a prolific half-century the purveyor of an eccentric genius and compassionate wit. He alone was Snock. There is no other. Friends, family, and the music community deeply mourn his loss.' The family did not offer cause of death or a list of survivors. Hurley, born in Pennsylvania, honed his cracked perspective on bluegrass, blues and folk in the Greenwich Village folk scene in New York in the '60s, after producer and folklorist Fred Ramsey picked him up on a hitchiking ramble. He released his debut album, 1964's 'First Songs,' on Folkways, the acclaimed home of Woody Guthrie and curator Harry Smith's 'Anthology of American Folk Music.' Hurley's talents were manifold — he designed and illustrated most of his charming hand-drawn album art, and learned a diversity of instruments including banjo and fiddle. His songs had a stark, strange quality that could be both beautiful (as on 'Be Kind to Me' and 'Valley of Tears') and surreal ('What Made My Hamburger Disappear?' or 'You're a Dog; Don't Talk to Me'). He was a childhood friend of future Youngbloods singer Jesse Colin Young, who would champion Hurley's skewed vision by releasing 1971's 'Armchair Boogie' and 1972's 'Hi Fi Snock Uptown' on his Warner Bros. imprint Raccoon. 1976's 'Have Moicy!' became an underground cult favorite, and his rapidly expanding catalog would grow to more than 30 LPs. Along the way, indie rockers and like-minded singer songwriters like Lucinda Williams and Cat Power (who hauntingly interpreted his single 'Werewolf' on her classic 2003 LP 'You Are Free') would champion his work. Devendra Banhart released Hurley albums on his Gnomonsong label, and Hurley appeared in the 2018 film 'Leave No Trace,' where he performed 'O My Stars.' 'Calling me an outsider artist … yes, I think it's apt,' he told the Guardian in 2021. 'It's taken me a long time to join the gang... I didn't enjoy the process of applying for gigs, that determination to penetrate things, all this trouble you had to go through. I preferred playing parties. Little gatherings. Drinking with friends, hopping across the river.' Hurley lived in rural Oregon in his final years, releasing his last album, 'The Time of the Foxgloves,' in 2021. He continued to write and perform at gigs including the Big Ears festival in Tennessee just days before his death.
USA Today
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Singer Michael Hurley, known as 'Godfather of freak folk,' dies at 83
Singer Michael Hurley, known as 'Godfather of freak folk,' dies at 83 Folk music pioneer Michael Hurley, known as the "Godfather of freak folk," has died. He was 83. The singer's family shared news of his death on Thursday in a statement posted by Hurley's record label, No Quarter Records, on Instagram. A cause of death was not disclosed. "It is with a resounding sadness that the Hurley family announces the recent sudden passing of the inimitable Michael Hurley," the statement read. "The 'Godfather of freak folk' was for a prolific half-century the purveyor of an eccentric genius and compassionate wit. "He alone was Snock. There is no other. Friends, family, and the music community deeply mourn his loss." Representatives for Hurley were not available for comment at the time of publication. No Quarter Records founder Mike Quinn also mourned Hurley's death in the post, calling the musician "a true American treasure." "I'm thankful that I got to know him and work with him over the past few years," Quinn said in a statement. "Michael just finished a new album. It was mastered the week before he died, and he was very proud of it (as he should be… it's outstanding). Hopeful it will see the light of day soon." Inspired by artists such as Chuck Berry, Fats Domino and Hank Williams, Hurley began playing guitar in his late teens and later took to the stage with performances at coffeehouses in New York City, according to a 1997 interview in Popwatch Magazine. Val Kilmer dies: 'Top Gun' and 'Batman Forever' star was 65 Hurley made his musical debut with 1964's "First Songs" and went on to release 31 albums throughout his decadeslong career. His music has been featured in TV shows and films such as "Hamlet," "Deadwood," "Curve" and "Leave No Trace," according to IMDb. "I never thought of a career in music," Hurley told The New York Times in a 2021 interview. "What I do is goof off — and try to get away with it." Hurley's idiosyncratic style of music has been described as "outsider folk," a testament to the Pennsylvania native's self-taught musicianship. "I started making up stuff right away," Hurley told the Times of his musical beginnings. "If you don't know the proper way, you do it your way. Sometimes, that gives you a better song." Patty Maloney dies: 'Little House on the Prairie' actress was 89 Hurley's final album before his death, "The Time of the Foxgloves," was released in 2021.
