Irwin Silber, a participant of ASA in the 90s

[RoseB]

When I saw the name Irwin Silber, I wondered if it was the same person
who posted on ASA in the 90s and wrote "The Patient's Guide to Hip and
Knee Replacement". Some of us were interviewed for the book, myself
included. It really is him. Reading this obit, gave me a sense of the
man, and I did not know any of this about his past. It makes me proud
to have been included in his book. I am not sure if there are many
others that were in his book still here, but I do believe Joe was.


Irwin Silber, who chronicled 1960s folk song renaissance in Sing Out
magazine, has died
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

at 11:35 on September 11, 2010, EDT.
By John Rogers, The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Irwin Silber, who as founding editor of the
small but influential magazine Sing Out became a towering figure in
the 1960s American folk music renaissance that brought Bob Dylan, Arlo
Guthrie and numerous others to prominence, has died at age 84.

Silber died Wednesday at an extended care facility in Oakland, his
stepdaughter Nina Menendez told The Associated Press on Friday. She
said the cause of death was complications related to Alzheimer's
disease.

Silber founded Sing Out in 1950 with legendary folk singer Pete Seeger
and musicologist Alan Lomax. He also published more than a dozen
books, wrote for several other publications and produced numerous folk
music concerts.

At Sing Out, he worked on a shoestring budget, noting in 2001 that
most of the time he collected only half of his $50 weekly salary.
Nonetheless, he built the magazine into a bible of American folk
music, reporting on such seminal figures as Seeger, Guthrie,
Leadbelly, and Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee.

As a result, when a new generation of folk singers burst onto the
music scene in the early 1960s, he was perfectly positioned to cover
them. Sing Out carried some of the earliest reports on Dylan, Phil
Ochs, Joan Baez, Judy Collins and others.

"He was a giant in folk music as the editor of Sing Out," said Barry
"the Fish" Melton, half of the folk duo Country Joe and the Fish
before it expanded into a four-piece rock group. "Really, Irwin's
legacy in the music community was spreading songs everywhere."

Melton said he last saw Silber three months ago when Melton sat in
with one of Silber's stepsons, Jesse Cahn, at a music club.

"I know Jesse told me he had Alzheimer's, but we had a very delightful
conversation and he recognized me," Melton said.

Before starting Sing Out, Silber was executive director of People's
Songs, an organization created by Seeger and others to promote the
music of the American labour movement.

Because of his ties to left-wing causes and his association with the
Communist Party in the 1950s, he was called before the House
UnAmerican Activities Committee in 1958. Silber said in a 2005
interview that he was asked by a committee member if he had ever
taught at a New York City school said to have Marxist ties.

When asked what he taught at the school, Silber said he replied
"square dancing" and the questioning ended.

As editor of Sing Out, he also sometimes became embroiled in
controversy within the folk music world.

When Dylan abandoned folk music in the mid-1960s to perform rock 'n'
roll, Silber was one of his harshest critics, writing a scathing open
letter to Dylan in Sing Out. In later years, however, Silber said he
had come to accept Dylan's evolution.

"My open letter was written at a moment when I was really
disappointed," Silber told Sing Out in 2001. "I think what I wrote,
I'd stand by, but if I had to do it all over again I don't think I
would write it in the same tone and in the same way."

Among Silber's books were "Lift Every Voice," ''Songs of the Cil War,"
''Songs of the Great American West" and "Songs of Independence." He
also edited the landmark folk song publication "Hard-Hitting Songs for
Hard-Hit People" and published such non-music books as "Socialism:
What Went Wrong?" and "A Patient's Guide to Knee and Hip Replacement."

In addition to his stepson and stepdaughter, Silber is survived by his
wife, jazz singer Barbara Dane.

Other survivors include a stepson, Pablo Menendez, and children Nina
Silber, Fred Silber and Josh Silber.

Rose
Being educated means that rather than fearing the unknown, one seeks to understand it.

[Harvey]

Thank you RoseB ... I was here but my memory is not what it should be.
I enjoyed reading that and I thank you for it.

Harv

"RoseB" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
>
> When I saw the name Irwin Silber, I wondered if it was the same person
> who posted on ASA in the 90s and wrote "The Patient's Guide to Hip and
> Knee Replacement". Some of us were interviewed for the book, myself
> included. It really is him. Reading this obit, gave me a sense of the
> man, and I did not know any of this about his past. It makes me proud
> to have been included in his book. I am not sure if there are many
> others that were in his book still here, but I do believe Joe was.
>
>
> Irwin Silber, who chronicled 1960s folk song renaissance in Sing Out
> magazine, has died
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> at 11:35 on September 11, 2010, EDT.
> By John Rogers, The Associated Press
>
> LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Irwin Silber, who as founding editor of the
> small but influential magazine Sing Out became a towering figure in
> the 1960s American folk music renaissance that brought Bob Dylan, Arlo
> Guthrie and numerous others to prominence, has died at age 84.
>
> Silber died Wednesday at an extended care facility in Oakland, his
> stepdaughter Nina Menendez told The Associated Press on Friday. She
> said the cause of death was complications related to Alzheimer's
> disease.
>
> Silber founded Sing Out in 1950 with legendary folk singer Pete Seeger
> and musicologist Alan Lomax. He also published more than a dozen
> books, wrote for several other publications and produced numerous folk
> music concerts.
>
> At Sing Out, he worked on a shoestring budget, noting in 2001 that
> most of the time he collected only half of his $50 weekly salary.
> Nonetheless, he built the magazine into a bible of American folk
> music, reporting on such seminal figures as Seeger, Guthrie,
> Leadbelly, and Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee.
>
> As a result, when a new generation of folk singers burst onto the
> music scene in the early 1960s, he was perfectly positioned to cover
> them. Sing Out carried some of the earliest reports on Dylan, Phil
> Ochs, Joan Baez, Judy Collins and others.
>
> "He was a giant in folk music as the editor of Sing Out," said Barry
> "the Fish" Melton, half of the folk duo Country Joe and the Fish
> before it expanded into a four-piece rock group. "Really, Irwin's
> legacy in the music community was spreading songs everywhere."
>
> Melton said he last saw Silber three months ago when Melton sat in
> with one of Silber's stepsons, Jesse Cahn, at a music club.
>
> "I know Jesse told me he had Alzheimer's, but we had a very delightful
> conversation and he recognized me," Melton said.
>
> Before starting Sing Out, Silber was executive director of People's
> Songs, an organization created by Seeger and others to promote the
> music of the American labour movement.
>
> Because of his ties to left-wing causes and his association with the
> Communist Party in the 1950s, he was called before the House
> UnAmerican Activities Committee in 1958. Silber said in a 2005
> interview that he was asked by a committee member if he had ever
> taught at a New York City school said to have Marxist ties.
>
> When asked what he taught at the school, Silber said he replied
> "square dancing" and the questioning ended.
>
> As editor of Sing Out, he also sometimes became embroiled in
> controversy within the folk music world.
>
> When Dylan abandoned folk music in the mid-1960s to perform rock 'n'
> roll, Silber was one of his harshest critics, writing a scathing open
> letter to Dylan in Sing Out. In later years, however, Silber said he
> had come to accept Dylan's evolution.
>
> "My open letter was written at a moment when I was really
> disappointed," Silber told Sing Out in 2001. "I think what I wrote,
> I'd stand by, but if I had to do it all over again I don't think I
> would write it in the same tone and in the same way."
>
> Among Silber's books were "Lift Every Voice," ''Songs of the Cil War,"
> ''Songs of the Great American West" and "Songs of Independence." He
> also edited the landmark folk song publication "Hard-Hitting Songs for
> Hard-Hit People" and published such non-music books as "Socialism:
> What Went Wrong?" and "A Patient's Guide to Knee and Hip Replacement."
>
> In addition to his stepson and stepdaughter, Silber is survived by his
> wife, jazz singer Barbara Dane.
>
> Other survivors include a stepson, Pablo Menendez, and children Nina
> Silber, Fred Silber and Josh Silber.
>
> Rose
> Being educated means that rather than fearing the unknown, one seeks to
> understand it.

[Don Kirkman]

On Sat, 11 Sep 2010 10:00:06 -0700, RoseB <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>When I saw the name Irwin Silber, I wondered if it was the same person
>who posted on ASA in the 90s and wrote "The Patient's Guide to Hip and
>Knee Replacement". Some of us were interviewed for the book, myself
>included. It really is him. Reading this obit, gave me a sense of the
>man, and I did not know any of this about his past. It makes me proud
>to have been included in his book. I am not sure if there are many
>others that were in his book still here, but I do believe Joe was.

Thank you, Rose. I remember when Irwin was posting in asa, but never
knew of his roots in folk music (I would have admired him even more if
I had only known). I'm sure he will be remembered for his work in
support of arthritis sufferers as well as for his great contributions
to folk- related music.
--
Don Kirkman
[email protected]

[RoseB]

You are most welcome.