The Ballad of Peter LaFarge

[hrosereisen]

read post below first: Among my aunt's things was an LP ("Iron Mountain") inscribed (again, approximate quote) "To Rita Selden, who made this possible" or without whom it wouldn't have been possible...and LaFarge's signature. My aunt was in the creative revolution in advertising and wrote the famous Volkswagen "Lemon" ad.

[hrosereisen]

My aunt, Rita Wagner Selden, knew Peter LaFarge, and mentioned him in the note she wrote before she committed suicide on October 29, 1962. I don't have it in front of me, but it says something like "$700 owing from Peter LaFarge, may not be collectible, .deductible from income tax. Funds were a kind of stake when prospects were low." It appears that she met LaFarge at Craigie House in Beacon, New York, a very upscale private mental hospital no longer in operation. 

[skierconqueso]

we do have some indian blood, a very little bit. I am Peter's great nephew, Ira LaFarge. The amount of indian blood these days is irrelevant, it's the amount of native spirit one is willing to create

[skierconqueso]

we do have some indian blood, a very little bit. I am Peter's great nephew, Ira LaFarge

[yachtabaco]

Oliver was his step-father. Peter professed to being Narragansett Indian, Howard Sownes wrote in his biography of Bob Dylan that in fact "no Indian blood ran through Peter's veins".

He wrote great songs. If he did not commit suicide, someone should set the record straight.

[sandraschulman]

@yachtabaco Oliver was NOT his step-father, I have the birth and death certificate to prove it and know his sister and brother. He was his biological father, Peter never said otherwise. He was adopted by the Hopi tribe in an honorary gesture and had a step-father so that is where the confusion has come from. The mother was from Naragansett Rhode Island, so more confusion. He was in pain and drinking when he died, but I doubt it was suicide, he was planning a future.

[wranglerz1]

I remember watching Pete Ride a saddle Bronc at The National Western, & my father told me that in the wild Horse Race Pete was The Best Mugger, he had ever seen, he would jump on a horses head

[wranglerz1]

Ride on Good Cowboy Rodeo Hand Hey Rodeo Hand Long Live Cowboys

[wranglerz1]

Ride on Good Cowboy Long Live Cowboy's

[wranglerz1]

My father was a very close friend of Peter's, they Rodeoed together, Peter would come by our house when I was youngster and play his guitar he and my father would get into the bottle alittle then I & my brother would sent to bed Pete would come into our bedroom & sing us a song. I knew his Mother very well, and his step father I have most of his albums but they are worn out.

[sandraschulman]

The Ballad of Peter La Farge will be released June 15th, 2010 through Amazon along with a tribute album, Rare Breed: The Songs of Peter La Farge and bonus music video.

[smallwoo4]

Peter LaFarge is my great-uncle. I am so inspired by him in my every day life. Thank you for your wonderful comments!

[sandraschulman]

Hopefully yes, I am working out the publishing and clearance rights to release this soon

[beercansimminent]

Ms. Schulman, I'm quite anxious to see your work. Will it be available on Netflix? PBS?

[JefFrietkot]

There was a tiny bit of Lafarge, not singing alas, in the Dylan Scorsese BBC documentary - I was so surprised to see the man there!

Can't wait to see the Ira Hayes footage... !

[servitrad]

There is a french version of the Ballad of Ira Hayes, sung by Hugues Aufray, the title is "La Ballade d'Ira l'Indien" if I remember well...

[wygakyl]

I heard Peter LaFarge on a 1963 Newport Broadside LP. I will be looking into his story.

[brndnln]

i feel that I have a part of peter's spirit in me, and feel that i am supposed to portray peter's life. i also look incredibly like peter. more than anyone i've seen. i met his step daughter at a bar once and she said i should play her dad in a movie that was under way but i lost her number, anyways I would be extremely interested in making a film about the life of peter lafarge if the opportunity ever arose.

[sandraschulman]

I remember Anne-Lisse sending me your photo, yes you do resemble him. Sorry to say the film is a long way off, I am still working on clearance rights for the full documentary and getting a TV screening then national distribution. There is also a tribute record and now a music video I am working on. Films take a long time but Zeus willing it will happen some day.

[dreamhorseranch]

I can't wait! Do you have any footage of Peter singing "The Black Stallion"? It's my favorite song, I have an old LP I bought in Germany many years ago. Was Peter's father Oliver La Farge, a professor who wrote a wonderful&sad novel?

[sandraschulman]

I only have footage of him singing Ira Hayes, VERY rare stuff that was buried in the Lomax Archives. Yes his father was Oliver, he was NOT adopted, he was only a small part Native, and he didn't commit suicide...his story is haunting.

[arundhatibakshi]

This is awesome! I would love to see more of LaFarge, you never hear anything about him these days.

[AnthonyBono]

This is great. When can we see the feature?

[sandraschulman]

I am presently screening this at film fests and expanding it to a full hour for TV in the US and Canada. The short will be released as a bonus DVD with the tribute record late this year or early next. Thanks for the comment!