Occasionally, the Labyrinth Cafe will host musical events at the UU Church of Ft. Lauderdale that are not part of our regular season line-up but that we strongly believe in and wish to support - please join us for these special celebrations as well!
Phil Ochs Song Afternoon
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Labyrinth Café (UU Church of Ft. Lauderdale)
2:00 p.m.
$20
Phil Ochs Song Nights commemorate his life and music while also highlighting new talents making music in the spirit that Phil made his music. Please join us for a wonderful afternoon of politics and music, featuring the songs of Phil Ochs, performed by South Florida musical treasures Nick Annis, Ellen Bukstel, Jennings & Keller, Rod MacDonald, Amy Carol Webb and Annie Wenz (all will share their own activist tunes as well). Phil’s sister Sonny Ochs is coming down from New York to emcee and host the event, which makes it even more special. Whether you’re already familiar with, or are a newcomer to, Phil’s legacy… this event promises to inspire and inform.
Phil Ochs was born in El Paso, Texas on Dec. 19. 1940. He grew up in a non-political middle class family. While in college at Ohio State University, he met Jim Glover who became his roommate and whose father was Phil's political teacher. It was during this time, while he was majoring in journalism, that Phil formed his political beliefs and started putting them to music.
After 3 years of college, Phil dropped out and went to New York City. This was during the early '60's when things were booming in Greenwich Village. Phil started out singing at open mikes and passing the hat. By 1964 he was well enough established to release his first album, "All the News That's Fit To Sing". His second album, "I Ain't Marching Anymore", was released in 1965, and by 1966 he was able to sell out Carnegie Hall for his solo concert.
Most of Phil's songs were very political, some humorous and some very serious. He wrote about the topics of the day - civil rights, Viet Nam, hungry miners, and personalities such as Billy Sol Estes, William Worthy and Lou Marsh.
In 1967 he signed with A&M Records where his first release was "Pleasures of the Harbor" in which he used heavily orchestrated arrangements for the first time. Some fans criticized this change, while others accepted it.
Phil continued to perform and to travel around the world. While in Dar Es Salaam, he was mugged and lost the top three notes of his vocal range. This event seemed to send him on a downward spiral. His last years were troubled ones. He suffered from manic depression plus an affinity for the bottle. He committed suicide on April 9, 1976 at the age of 35.
There have been 2 biographies written about him. Death of a Rebel by Marc Elliot was written in 1977, and There But For Fortune - The Life of Phil Ochs by Michael Schumacher was published in 1996. Rhino Records released a 3-cd compilation titled Farewells and Fantasies in 1997 which includes all of his best known works plus some previously unreleased tracks. Sliced Bread Records released a double cd of covers of Phil's songs performed by 28 artists in 1998 entitled The Songs of Phil Ochs.
History of Phil Ochs Song Nights (written by his sister, Sonny):
On April 9, 1976 my brother, Phil Ochs, ended his life by hanging himself. He was 35 years old. He had written over 100 songs, and had traveled to many countries. He suffered from manic-depression and had been experiencing a long term writer's block. Many of his songs had been recorded by artists such as John Denver, Gordon Lightfoot, Ronnie Gilbert, Joan Baez, Judy Collins and Pete Seeger.
Six years after Phil's death, Ned Traynor who was then active with the musicians' cooperative which was producing concerts at the Speakeasy on MacDougal Street in Greenwich Village, suggested that they do a Phil Ochs Song Night. I said that I thought it was a great idea. From time to time I would call up and suggest the name of a performer I would like to see in the program. Everyone I suggested was accepted. After a while, I realized that nobody was really in charge.
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