Fred Hellerman
Encyclopedia
Fred Hellerman, born in Brooklyn, New York (May 13, 1927) and educated at Brooklyn College
, is an American folk singer, guitarist, producer and song writer, primarily known as one of the members of The Weavers
, together with Pete Seeger
, Lee Hays, and Ronnie Gilbert
. Fred Hellerman is also known for producing the record album Alice's Restaurant
(1967) for Arlo Guthrie
.
with Seeger
, Ronnie Gilbert
and Lee Hays. Hellerman wrote and co-wrote some of their hits. Because of his involvement with left-wing groups during the 1930s and 1940s, Fred Hellerman came under suspicion of Communist sympathies during the McCarthy era.
In 1950, Fred Hellerman was named, along with the rest of the Weavers
, in the anti-communist tract Red Channels
and was placed on the industry blacklist
. The Weavers
, unable to perform on television, radio, or in most music halls, broke up in 1952, although they periodically held reunion concerts, the last in 1981, shortly before Lee Hays' death.
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...
, is an American folk singer, guitarist, producer and song writer, primarily known as one of the members of The Weavers
The Weavers
The Weavers were an American folk music quartet based in the Greenwich Village area of New York City. They sang traditional folk songs from around the world, as well as blues, gospel music, children's songs, labor songs, and American ballads, and selling millions of records at the height of their...
, together with Pete Seeger
Pete Seeger
Peter "Pete" Seeger is an American folk singer and was an iconic figure in the mid-twentieth century American folk music revival. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, he also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of The Weavers, most notably their recording of Lead...
, Lee Hays, and Ronnie Gilbert
Ronnie Gilbert
Ronnie Gilbert is an American folk-singer. She is one of the original members of the Weavers with Pete Seeger, Lee Hays, and Fred Hellerman.-Career:...
. Fred Hellerman is also known for producing the record album Alice's Restaurant
Alice's Restaurant
"Alice's Restaurant Massacree" is a musical monologue by singer-songwriter Arlo Guthrie released on his 1967 album Alice's Restaurant. The song is one of Guthrie's most prominent works, based on a true incident in his life that began on Thanksgiving Day 1965, and which inspired a 1969 movie of the...
(1967) for Arlo Guthrie
Arlo Guthrie
Arlo Davy Guthrie is an American folk singer. Like his father, Woody Guthrie, Arlo often sings songs of protest against social injustice...
.
The Weavers and the McCarthy era
In 1948, Fred Hellerman formed the WeaversThe Weavers
The Weavers were an American folk music quartet based in the Greenwich Village area of New York City. They sang traditional folk songs from around the world, as well as blues, gospel music, children's songs, labor songs, and American ballads, and selling millions of records at the height of their...
with Seeger
Pete Seeger
Peter "Pete" Seeger is an American folk singer and was an iconic figure in the mid-twentieth century American folk music revival. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, he also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of The Weavers, most notably their recording of Lead...
, Ronnie Gilbert
Ronnie Gilbert
Ronnie Gilbert is an American folk-singer. She is one of the original members of the Weavers with Pete Seeger, Lee Hays, and Fred Hellerman.-Career:...
and Lee Hays. Hellerman wrote and co-wrote some of their hits. Because of his involvement with left-wing groups during the 1930s and 1940s, Fred Hellerman came under suspicion of Communist sympathies during the McCarthy era.
In 1950, Fred Hellerman was named, along with the rest of the Weavers
The Weavers
The Weavers were an American folk music quartet based in the Greenwich Village area of New York City. They sang traditional folk songs from around the world, as well as blues, gospel music, children's songs, labor songs, and American ballads, and selling millions of records at the height of their...
, in the anti-communist tract Red Channels
Red Channels
Red Channels: The Report of Communist Influence in Radio and Television is an anti-Communist tract published in the United States at the height of the Red Scare...
and was placed on the industry blacklist
Hollywood blacklist
The Hollywood blacklist—as the broader entertainment industry blacklist is generally known—was the mid-twentieth-century list of screenwriters, actors, directors, musicians, and other U.S. entertainment professionals who were denied employment in the field because of their political beliefs or...
. The Weavers
The Weavers
The Weavers were an American folk music quartet based in the Greenwich Village area of New York City. They sang traditional folk songs from around the world, as well as blues, gospel music, children's songs, labor songs, and American ballads, and selling millions of records at the height of their...
, unable to perform on television, radio, or in most music halls, broke up in 1952, although they periodically held reunion concerts, the last in 1981, shortly before Lee Hays' death.
External links
- http://www.answers.com/topic/fred-hellerman-folk-artist?cat=entertainment Extensive online biography with hyperlinks by William Ruhlmann in Allmusic.