Folk Singer Utah Phillips dies- 1/5

The "Golden Voice of the Great Southwest": Legendary Folk Musician, Activist Utah Phillips, 1935-2008

Utah Phillips, the legendary folk musician and peace and labor activist, has died at the age of seventy-three. Over the span of nearly four decades, Utah Phillips worked in what he referred to as "the Trade," performing tirelessly throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. The son of labor organizers, Phillips was a lifelong member of the Industrial Workers of the World, known as the Wobblies. As a teenager, he ran away from home and started living as a hobo who rode the rails and wrote songs about his experiences. In 1956, he joined the Army and served in the Korean War, an experience he would later refer to as the turning point of his life. In 1968, he ran for the US Senate on the Peace and Freedom Party ticket. For the past twenty-one years he lived in Nevada City, where he started a nationally syndicated folk music radio show. He also helped found the Hospitality House homeless shelter and the Peace and Justice Center. We spend the hour with an interview with Phillips from January 2004. [includes rush transcript]

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• utah
• phillips
• folk
• music
• america
• usa
• democracy
• now

[guthriewillow]

About 10 years ago Utah came to Marquette MI and my girlfriend and I had tickets. That day we were eating lunch wondering where he might be. Randomly we actually ran into him at the salvation army that afternoon. My girlfriend thanked him for coming to Marquette, and his reply was "Well, everybody's got to be somewhere sometime." He was as kind in chatting as could be and his performance that night was truly inspiring. Rest well dear old anarchist soul.

[RobertBoogPowell]

Amy, get your FACTS right before talking..

Utah didn't join Army in 1956 to go to Korean War!!!!!

It ended in 1953 in a 'truce'...no winner/no loser 3 years BEFORE you said Utah joined the Army.

Next time..check with me for your FACTS..it adds credibility to your broadcast if you know what the ____....you're talkin' about.

boog

[RobertBoogPowell]

Amy, get your FACTS right before talking..

Utah didn't join Army in 1956 to go to Korean War!!!!!

It ended in 1953 in a 'truce'...no winner/no loser 3 years BEFORE you said Utah joined the Army.

Next time..check with me for your FACTS..it adds credibility to your broadcast if you know what the hell....you're talkin' about.

boog

[ynot6523]

Wonderful Heart!

Gave so much to our world.

[lazur1]

Irreplaceable

[chiledoug]

yup joe hill

[Squarekn0t]

Bin at the camps, worked the picket lines with my little red book in my vest pocket, the one Utah gave me at the Cherry Tree club in Philly. Isn't it ironic that in 2009 there will be a lot more homeless riding the rails looking for work. "Burmashave"

[KennBurch]

As the Swede said, "Don't mourn-organize".