RIP Utah Phillips

the button "jesus christ, john, have you actually even read any marx?"
Posts: 5636 Joined: 07-07-04 Location: Lewisham, London
Submitted by the button on 24 May, 2008 - 17:47.

Died today in his sleep. No further details yet.

RIP Utah.

OliverTwister "Tied directly to Bekken and the Philly camp"
Posts: 2204 Joined: 10-10-05 Location: San Francisco, USA
24 May, 2008 - 19:10

This really sucks.

Some bay area IWWs were planning a benefit for him in June... I was looking forward to meeting him. cry

comandanteloof "exploring the fabric of space-time"
Posts: 7 Joined: 07-05-08 Location: Ireland, Derry.
24 May, 2008 - 19:19

Fuck. A real pity. Great performer. Great story teller. Great humour.

Inigo Montoya
Posts: 149 Joined: 11-04-07 Location: Dublin
24 May, 2008 - 19:51

Tragic news.

Born May 15, 1935.
Died May 23, 2008.

fnbrill "Mocking In the Fee World"
Posts: 750 Joined: 13-01-07
24 May, 2008 - 20:44

http://www.kvmr.org/utah_letter.html

EdmontonWobbly "Sombre, jaded class warrior."
Posts: 1313 Joined: 25-03-06 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
24 May, 2008 - 22:41

sad RIP

UUjohn "i dreamed i saw Joe Hill last night"
Posts: 6 Joined: 17-04-08 Location: US, New Hampshire
24 May, 2008 - 23:32

cry
this is a very sad day ...

David in Atlanta ""crude reductionist version of marxism""
Posts: 1729 Joined: 21-04-06
25 May, 2008 - 00:50

http://libcom.org/forums/news/utah-phillips-has-died-24052008

David in Atlanta ""crude reductionist version of marxism""
Posts: 1729 Joined: 21-04-06
25 May, 2008 - 00:52

The family requests memorial donations to Hospitality House, P.O. Box 3223, Grass Valley, California 95945 (530) 271-7144 www.hospitalityhouseshelter.org

Jordan Fisher Smith and Molly Fisk

Molly Fisk, 530.277.4686 molly@mollyfisk.com Jordan Fisher Smith 530.277.3087 jordanfs@gv.net

Word document here: http://www.utahphillips.org/utahphillipsdeadat73.doc PDF version: http://www.utahphillips.org/utahphillipsdeadat73.pdf

pghwob "Not an apologist for SEIU"
Posts: 684 Joined: 09-12-06 Location: CITIZEN OF INDUSTRY
25 May, 2008 - 13:58

FW Utah Phillips told me he joined the IWW in 1955, and I had not realized until a few years ago that he was quite active in organizing for the union, in addition to being a great Wobbly bard. He will be sorely missed.

David in Atlanta ""crude reductionist version of marxism""
Posts: 1729 Joined: 21-04-06
25 May, 2008 - 15:27

For fw's out in California, kvmr just announced that Rose Tattoo is doing a memorial concert next weekend in Nevada City

David in Atlanta ""crude reductionist version of marxism""
Posts: 1729 Joined: 21-04-06
25 May, 2008 - 18:26

there's an amazing forum, mudcat, populated largely by professional folk singers. I thought some of y'all might be interested to see what Utah's peers in that world have to say.
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=111474&messages=67#2348175

Catch 22
Posts: 494 Joined: 01-04-06
25 May, 2008 - 19:54

Hope he's caught a good boxcar out into the sky.

rudolfrocks
Posts: 1 Joined: 25-05-08
25 May, 2008 - 19:55

Very sad news indeed. I've gained a lot from his CDs over the years and he was a strong voice for the IWW.

the button "jesus christ, john, have you actually even read any marx?"
Posts: 5636 Joined: 07-07-04 Location: Lewisham, London
25 May, 2008 - 20:12
David in Atlanta wrote:
there's an amazing forum, mudcat, populated largely by professional folk singers. I thought some of y'all might be interested to see what Utah's peers in that world have to say.
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=111474&messages=67#2348175

That's where I first found out about this.

Incidentally, anyone who thinks these forums are full of slagfests should have a look at some other threads on mudcat. eek

newyawka "They gonna eat your shoulders."
Posts: 2866 Joined: 13-10-05
28 May, 2008 - 17:25

anarcho-caps mourn utah phillips. he apparently once ran for president on the Sloth and Indolence ticket.

Quote:
I guarantee that if I am elected, I will take over the White House, hang out, shoot pool, scratch my ass, and not do a damn thing.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/021206.html. check the links. (yes, sometimes i read that site.)

kronstadt
Posts: 23 Joined: 10-11-06 Location: Leicester
28 May, 2008 - 21:08

I had the opportunity to meet Utah at the Winnipeg Folk Festival in the summer of 2004. He performed 4 shows (one main stage, three on the smaller stages) over the course of the weekend.

Utah came across to me as being completely genuine. The way I had imagined him to be - funny, wise, and approachable - was actually how he was. He was the first (as so far only) "celebrity" I've ever met who walked the walk, and talked the talk

He will be missed. RIP Utah.

fnbrill "Mocking In the Fee World"
Posts: 750 Joined: 13-01-07
1 June, 2008 - 07:09

A good memorial on National Public Radio:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90958111

And this by Scott Simon, the host of Weekend Edition, quite fair and heartfelt:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91028141

Libertaria
Posts: 10 Joined: 07-05-08
1 June, 2008 - 17:54
kronstadt wrote:
I had the opportunity to meet Utah at the Winnipeg Folk Festival in the summer of 2004. He performed 4 shows (one main stage, three on the smaller stages) over the course of the weekend.

Utah came across to me as being completely genuine. The way I had imagined him to be - funny, wise, and approachable - was actually how he was. He was the first (as so far only) "celebrity" I've ever met who walked the walk, and talked the talk

He will be missed. RIP Utah.

That Folk festival I saw every set Utah did, and then went out and baough the AK Press release of I'VE GOT TO KNOW. He is one of the reasons I became a Wobblie. He really shaped my political ideals, and will be missed.

newyawka "They gonna eat your shoulders."
Posts: 2866 Joined: 13-10-05
13 June, 2008 - 17:01

a long interview with phillips is transcribed here:
http://www.democracynow.org/2008/5/27/utah_phillips_1935_2008_legendary_folk