delicate spirits, wild lives: folk singers gone too soon

8/14/2019 Delicate Spirits, Wild Lives: Folk Singers Gone Too Soon

1/6

1

Delicate Spirits, Wild Lives: Folk Singers Gone Too Soon

For a genre steeped in emotion, it is no surprise that some of the most intriguing

folk singers in music history were wrought with feelings of apathy and depression,

leading to a history of addiction and tragic death. From the 60s and onward, select folk

singers captured the attention of their fans and drew them in with their personalities,

which resonated heavily in their music and off-stage behavior. The lives of these folk

singers influenced those who came after them and maintained a magnetizing aura; Tim

Buckley, Phil Ochs, Nick Drake and Elliott Smith.

Tim Buckley broke into the music scene around the mid-60s when he released his

eponymous debut album. Buckley was notable for including many different styles of

music in his studio and live recordings, including jazz, folk, funk and an

experimental/improvisational musical styling. Like many musicians who have died young

(especially in Nick Drakes case), Buckley reached a wider audience posthumously.

Buckley sang with great fervor. Passionate lyrics lined his songs, however, he also tended

to drift to states of melancholy, a dichotomy that would plague Buckley throughout his

life. In an April 1968 interview with Melody Maker, Tony Wilson remarked that Tim

Buckley was a quiet, rather serious, person but is quick to smile when something

appeals to his sense of humor. With album titles like Goodbye and HelloandHappy

Sad, itsevident that Buckley was a multi-faceted person who unapologetically allowed

himself to view life from multiple perspectives, rather than commit himself to one

ideology. His enigmatic nature allowed him to be seen as visionary by his peers, but he

himself had a very bland opinion of what he actually was to people. A higher-up at

Elektra Records (one of Tims employers) said, in a 1968 interview withEyemagazine


2/6

2

that Buckley was not a prophet, teacher or spokesman like Dylan. He was a mirror of

the times.

Drug use has always been associated with musicians because of the accessibility

to it and the temperament towards illicit drugs in the 60s/70s, Buckley himself

indulged, according to Lee Underwood, a guitarist who played with Buckley for a good

part of his career. Buckley battled drug use and alcoholism throughout the tail end of his

career and life. After finishing a tour in Dallas, Buckley got into a spat with his longtime

friend Richard Keeling after which Buckley overdosed on heroin (mixed with alcohol)

and passed away (Sims, Tim Buckley Dead at 28). It was the end to a career that had

lasted just around a decade and was in the midst of blossoming even more than it already

had. Buckleys passing showed the downside to someone who was peaceful, but made

himself so open and vulnerable to the dangers of the world due to his well-known

reputation.

Following in the traditional folk style, Phil Ochs wrote songs with topical content,

which could be perceived as protest songs (a term that wasnt too endearing to Ochs).

He was a figure in the political scene and the revolutionary uprising amongst the youth of

the 1960s. Ochs is an example of how the devotion to his art and his morals, especially

his political views, ended up having dire consequences. The folk scene was held in high

regards due to its controversial (to conservatives), yet freeing (to liberals) lyrical content.

A police riot ensued after the 1968 Democratic National Convention, which Ochs had

made a point to be a part of because of his strong political convictions. The aftermath of

what Ochs had encountered at the Convention caused him a great deal of distress

(Sullivan, Phil OchsWrites Himself Off). He slipped into a delusional state that


3/6

3

included him losing his drive to perform and developing a bi-polar disorder. Ochs felt

that he was being followed by government agencies. Ochs invented a second personality

named John Butler Train, who he told people killed Ochs. Hebecame more lost in his

delusions and out of touch with his artistic vision; he became a shell of his former

outspoken self. Ochs hung himself in April of 1976. Ochs belief that the FBI was on to

him did not go unfounded. The FBI had a rather extensive file on Ochs, which was

revealed by them after Ochs suicide(Life of a RebelThe Phil Ochs FBI File). Ochs

death exemplified how folk singers became a target and a group of interest in the 60s

and 70s because of how straightforward they were about their convictions and intentions

with their art. The mind of a musician is really fragile because of the pedestal society puts

on someone who sticks out and stands behind everything they believe in.

Nick Drake remains one of the more mysterious figures in folk and music

history. Drake was musically active for about 4-5 years, leaving behind an audience that

beckoned for more material from someone with such a poetic manner of observation.

The only video that can be found of Nick Drake (at least within the realms of YouTube)

is roughly 20 seconds and it is of Drake walking away at what seems to be a festival.

The best way for fans to get to know Drake was through the lyrics in his music, but his

lyrics were so intimate and personal that it allowed his audience to understand, at least a

little bit, as to whom he was. Drakes reluctance to be a public figure during his lifetime

was a result of his battle with depression, and like so many people, was prescribed

numerous medications to help subside these feelings (The Death of Nick Drake).

Drake abused his medication, as well as other drugs. He died on November 25, 1974.

Much like his previous 26 years, his death and the circumstances of what actually


4/6

4

happened is debated. It is unknown whether or not Drake deliberately overdosed on his

pain medication, if it was accidental or if his rumored heroin use had a factor. Despite

his mysterious history, Drakes sentimental and serene lyrics captured a very romantic

side of the folk tradition and it wasnt until his passing that he gained the cult following

he has today. His story is another in the list of bright and young musicians with a world

of talent and credibility, who, one or another, became engrossed in the moment and

never got out.

Elliott Smith rose to indie relevance through his involvement with the band

Heatmiser, but it was his work on his debut solo album,Roman Candle, that made him a

noteworthy name. In the 90s, there was a resurgence in the independent scene (the

beginnings of what would culminate in indiebands like Arcade Fire winning

Grammys in years to come). Elliott Smith was at the forefront of the Portland scene and

his rise culminated in an Oscar nomination for his contribution to the soundtrack of

Good Will Hunting, Miss Misery.This was fame that Elliott never asked for. Elliott

disliked the social pressures brought on by his fame. He was very much a kind-hearted

and meek person, which was made evident by his timid mannerisms on stage. Much like

the three artists previously discussed, Smith battled issues with depression and drug

abuse, mostly with his prescribed medication. According toElliott Smith and the Big

Nothing, Smith got into an argument with his girlfriend, Jennifer Chiba, after which

Elliott Smith stabbed himself twice in the chest and died upon arrival at a nearby

hospital on October 21st, 2003.

These four artists never crossed paths, but they encompass much of the folk

spectrum. From Buckley and Drakes sweet and pleasant musical demeanor, to Ochs


5/6

5

songs of revolution and being a voice for a silent but resilient generation to Elliott

Smiths modern take on folk, not to mention his emotionally observant nature. They

were all extremely passionate musicians who let their soul pour out through chords and

lyrics. Each artist encountered individual battles with depression and drug abuse, which

were exasperated through personal anguish and the pressures of being such timid people

beloved by many. The biggest crime is the fruitful lives and careers each artist could

have had. Unlike many famous musicians who died young, like Janis Joplin or Jim

Morrison, these deaths seemed to be more intriguing because of how human they all

seemed to be. There was no separation between celebrity and person. Each musician put

their true feelings and most significant emotions out for everyone to absorb and learn

from. These people are shining examples of artists who lived and died because of their

art.

Works Cited


6/6

6

1) Wilson, Tony. ""Don't Call Me a Poet...".Melody Maker. (1968): n. page. Web. 20Feb. 2013. .

2) Hopkins, Jerry. ""And God Bless Tim Buckley Too..."."Eye Magazine. (1968): n.page. Web. 20 Feb. 2013. .

3) Sims, Judith. "Tim Buckley Dead at 28, Murder Charged."Rolling Stone. n. page.Web. 20 Feb. 2013. .

4) Sullivan, James. "Phil Ochs, the Folksinger's Folksinger, Writes Himself Off."Spinner Online. (2010): n. page. Web. 20 Feb. 2013.

.

5) "Life of a Rebel: Folk Singer for the FBI: The Phil Ochs FBI File."Blogspot.(2008): n. page. Print. .

6) "The Death of Nick Drake." (2011): n. page. Print..

7) Nugent, Benjamin.Elliott Smith and the Big Nothing. Da Capo Press, 2005. Print.

delicate spirits, wild lives: folk singers gone too soon

Documents