|
Arlo Guthrie was born with a guitar in one hand and a harmonica
in the other, in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York in 1947. He is the
eldest son of America's most beloved singer/writer/philosopher Woody
Guthrie and Marjorie Mazia Guthrie, a professional dancer with the
Martha Graham Company and founder of The Committee to Combat
Huntington's Disease.
He grew up surrounded by dancers and musicians: Pete Seeger, Ronnie
Gilbert, Fred Hellerman and Lee Hays (The Weavers), Leadbelly, Cisco
Houston, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, all
of whom were significant influences on Arlo's musical career.
Guthrie gave his first public performance in 1961 at age 13 and
quickly became involved in the music that was shaping the world.
Arlo practically lived in the most famous venues of the "Folk Boom"
era. In New York City he hung out at Gerdes Folk City, The Gaslight
and The Bitter End. In Boston's Club 47, and in Philadelphia he made
places like The 2nd Fret and The Main Point his home. He witnessed
the transition from an earlier generation of ballad singers like
Richard Dyer-Bennet and blues-men like Mississippi John Hurt, to a
new era of singer-song writers such as Bob Dylan, Jim Croce, Joan
Baez, and Phil Ochs. He grooved with the beat poets like Allen
Ginsburg and Lord Buckley, and picked with players like Bill Monroe
and Doc Watson. He learned something from everyone and developed his
own style, becoming a distinctive, expressive voice in a crowded
community of singer-songwriters and political-social commentators.
Arlo Guthrie's career exploded in 1967 with the release of "Alice's
Restaurant", whose title song premiered at the Newport Folk Festival
helped foster a new commitment among the '60s generation to social
consciousness and activism. Arlo went on to star in the 1969
Hollywood film version of "Alice's Restaurant", directed by Arthur
Penn.
With songs like "Alice's Restaurant", too long for radio airplay;
"Coming into Los Angeles", banned from many radio stations (but a
favorite at the 1969 Woodstock Festival); and the definitive
rendition of Steve Goodman's "City of New Orleans", Guthrie was no
One-Hit-Wonder. An artist of international stature, he has never had
a 'hit' in the usual sense. He has usually preferred to walk to his
own beat rather than march in step to the drum of popular culture.
Over the last four decades Guthrie has toured throughout North
America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia winning a wide, popular
following. In addition to his accomplishments as a musician, playing
the piano, six and twelve-string guitar, harmonica and a dozen other
instruments, Arlo is a natural-born storyteller, whose tales and
anecdotes figure prominently in his performances.
The current tour "Journey On" will be on the road from Oct. 2010
through May 2011. Arlo will once again be joined by Abe Guthrie
(keyboards & Vocals), with Terry A La Berry (drums), Bobby Sweet
(electric guitar & vocals), Jody Lamppro (bass & vocals) and for
their third time on tour with Arlo, Jeanne, Annie and Marie Burns -
The Burns Sisters - will add their wonderful vocals.
The “Guthrie Family Rides Again” ran from June 2009 through May
2010. All of Arlo and Jackie's four kids, and their seven
grandchildren were on stage singing and playing together for the
first time. Many of the songs were 'new' Woody Guthrie lyrics with
music created by today's singer songwriters including Woody's
descendants.
Arlo created a program of symphonic arrangements of his own songs
and other American classics, "An American Scrapbook". By the end of
2010 Arlo will have performed over 40 concerts with 27 different
symphony orchestras throughout the US since 1998. The show at
Boston's Symphony Hall, conducted by Keith Lockhart, was recorded
and aired on PBS' Evening at Pops. The 4th of July celebration in
2001 with the Pops attracted an audience of over 750,000 people and
was broadcast live by A&E. There are many more shows scheduled with
the Boston Pops for the 2009/2010 season.
Rising Son's first vinyl release 2010 is “In Times Like These.”
Guthrie collaborated with friends, John Nardolillo (musical
director), and with famed engineer, George Massenburg to create the
recording of Arlo with the University of Kentucky Symphony
Orchestra. Recorded during the spring of 2006 the live concert was
originally released as a CD on Arlo's 60th birthday, July 10th 2007
to wide critical acclaim.
Rising Son also released "Tales Of '69" in 2009, 40 years after the
original concert was recorded. Some songs on the CD have never
previously been available.
Alongside his thriving performing career, Guthrie launched his own
record label Rising Son Records in 1983. In addition to Arlo's
complete catalogue of music, RSR includes recordings by Abe's band,
Xavier, Sarah Lee's debut album "Sarah Lee Guthrie" and Johnny
Irion's recording of "Unity Lodge". Their collaboration on "Entirely
Live" and "Exploration" (2004) as well as Johnny's new release "Ex
Tempore" are now available from the label. Arlo is also heard on
"This Land is Your Land" alongside the voice of his father Woody
Guthrie. The album has won several awards including a 1997 Grammy
nomination as "Best Musical Album for Children".
Arlo's other wide-ranging activities have included acting roles on
the ABC series "Byrds of Paradise" and on the USA network series
"Renegade". He has written and published The Rolling Blunder Review,
a popular newsletter, since 1986, and is the author of an
award-winning children's book "Mooses Come Walking" illustrated by
Alice May Brock.
In 1991 Arlo purchased the old Trinity Church. It was Thanksgiving
1965 that events took place at the church which inspired Arlo to
write the song "Alice's Restaurant". Named for his parents, The
Guthrie Center is a not-for-profit interfaith church foundation
dedicated to providing a wide range of local and international
services. Its outreach programs include everything from providing
HIV/AIDS services to baking cookies with a local service
organization; an HD walk-a-thon to raise awareness and money for a
cure for Huntington's Disease, and offering a place simply to
meditate. The Guthrie Foundation is a separate not-for-profit
educational organization that addresses issues such as the
environment, health care, cultural preservation and educational
exchange. Arlo Guthrie, Rising Son Records and The Guthrie Center &
Foundation are on the World Wide Web at "risingsonrecords.com"
|
Artist's Web Site
See a YouTube clip from Arlo Guthrie
Presented in conjunction with NCBPAC & Landshark Entertainment
|