RIP Utah Phillips, 1935-2008
One of the last great union-organizing singer-songwriters, Utah Phillips walked the walk, spending a hobo’s life on the road spreading the word on behalf of his blue collar brethren, always championing others over himself, always honest about his work as a folksinger and crafter of song.
Others have said it earlier and more thoroughly, several asking whether there are any like him left; many have shared the obvious originals in the wake of his passage. But it’s never too late to say goodbye. Here’s a few especially fitting coversongs from the folkworld for a short ‘tween-posts tribute to one of our best voices of hope and solidarity.
- Kathy Mattea, Green Rolling Hills (orig. Utah Phillips)
- Kate Wolf, Rock Salt and Nails (ibid.)
- Joe Ely, Rock Salt and Nails (ibid.)
- Utah Phillips, See Here, She Said (orig. Kate Wolf)
Rest in peace, Utah. May your songs live on, and your dreams come to fruition.
Category: Joe Ely, Kate Wolf, Kathy Mattea, Utah Phillips
March 14th, 2009 at 11:35 pm
[...] for some time. When the long-time union organizer, hobo, and storyteller died in May of last year, we did our own tribute here, and the project continued on as a vehicle to acknowledge his life and influence, with proceeds [...]
December 11th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Just got the “Singing Through the Hard Times” Utah Phillips Tribute CD. It was started before Phillips’ death as a fund raiser for his medical costs, but unfortunately he passed on before it was finished.
About half way through the first CD as I type.