Arlo Guthrie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Arlo Guthrie
|
|
|---|---|
Guthrie in 1979
|
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Arlo Davy Guthrie |
| Born | July 10, 1947 Brooklyn, New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Instruments |
|
| Years active |
|
| Labels |
|
| Children | 4 |
| Parents |
|
Arlo Davy Guthrie (born July 10, 1947) is an American folk singer and songwriter. He is famous for singing songs of protest about fairness and telling stories during his performances. He follows in the footsteps of his father, Woody Guthrie, who was also a famous folk singer.
Arlo's most well-known song is "Alice's Restaurant Massacree." It's a long, funny song that has become a Thanksgiving tradition. His only top-40 hit was a cover of "City of New Orleans." Arlo's song "Massachusetts" is the official folk song of the state where he has lived for most of his life. Guthrie has also acted in movies and on TV. He has four children, and they are also musicians.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Arlo Guthrie was born in Brooklyn, New York, on July 10, 1947. His father was the famous folk singer Woody Guthrie. His mother, Marjorie Mazia Guthrie, was a professional dancer. Arlo was the fifth of Woody Guthrie's eight children.
His mother also started a group called the Huntington's Disease Society of America. This group helps people and families dealing with Huntington's disease, a condition that affected his father. Arlo's family background was a mix of different cultures. His father's family was Baptist, and his mother's family was Jewish.
Guthrie went to Woodward School and later graduated from Stockbridge School in Massachusetts in 1965. He briefly attended Rocky Mountain College. He has also received honorary degrees from two colleges. Like his father, Arlo Guthrie has always been involved in political causes. He received an award for his courage and conscience in 1992.
Arlo Guthrie's Music Career
The Story of "Alice's Restaurant"
Arlo Guthrie's most famous song is "Alice's Restaurant." It's a long, spoken-word song that lasts over 18 minutes. The song tells a funny, true story that happened on Thanksgiving Day in 1965.
Arlo and his friend were arrested for illegally dumping trash. This event became the start of the song. The "Alice" in the song is Alice Brock, a friend of Arlo's who had a restaurant. The song also makes fun of the Vietnam War draft. Guthrie has said the song is more about being "anti-stupidity" than just anti-war.
The song became very popular on college radio stations in the late 1960s. It became a symbol of that time. Many radio stations still play "Alice's Restaurant" every Thanksgiving Day. The song helped Arlo get his first recording contract. After its release, he started playing at big venues like Carnegie Hall and the Woodstock Festival.
In 1969, a movie called Alice's Restaurant was made based on the song. Arlo Guthrie played himself in the movie. The film added many fictional scenes to the true story.
Arlo Guthrie as an Actor
Besides music, Arlo Guthrie has also acted in movies and on television. His most famous acting role was playing himself in the 1969 movie Alice's Restaurant.
He has appeared in several films and TV shows. Often, he plays himself, performing music or talking about the 1960s and folk music. He was on The Muppet Show in 1979 and Politically Incorrect in 1998. He also had a dramatic role in the 1992 movie Roadside Prophets. His performance at the 1969 Woodstock Festival was shown in the film Woodstock.
Arlo Guthrie's Activism
Arlo Guthrie has been a lifelong activist, much like his father. In the past, he often spoke out against war and for environmental causes during his concerts. He was seen as a voice for young people.
Over the years, his political views have changed. In 2008, he identified as a Republican. He supported Ron Paul for president, saying he believed in the United States Constitution. He explained that he became a Republican because he felt the country needed "a few more good Republicans."
By 2016, Guthrie said he was an independent, meaning he didn't belong to either major political party. He said he was "equally suspicious of Democrats as I am of Republicans." In 2018, he clarified that he was no longer a Republican and disagreed with some government policies. He encouraged people to look beyond party names and support candidates whose ideas match their own.
In 2020, he supported the George Floyd protests. He said it would be good if leaders "embraced" the changing ideas of what it means to be an American. By 2023, Arlo Guthrie said he had become mostly apolitical. He still holds his own beliefs but prefers not to discuss politics in interviews.
Arlo Guthrie's Legacy
Arlo Guthrie continues the work of his father, Woody Guthrie. He often sings songs that protest social problems. He has worked with other artists to tell important stories through music. He also performed regularly with folk musician Pete Seeger, who was a longtime friend of his father.
In 1991, Guthrie bought the church that was once Alice and Ray Brock's home. He turned it into the Guthrie Center. This center is a meeting place for people of all faiths. It offers free lunches, supports families dealing with serious illnesses, and hosts concerts. It also holds annual events to help with Huntington's disease research and support.
Arlo Guthrie's name has even inspired a comic strip character. One of the main characters in the comic strip Arlo and Janis is named after him.
Personal Life
Arlo Guthrie lives in Washington, Massachusetts. He was married to Jackie Hyde for 43 years until she passed away in 2012. He later married Marti Ladd in 2021. They divide their time between Massachusetts and Florida.
Arlo's children, Abe, Annie, Sarah Lee Guthrie, and Cathy, are all musicians. Abe has toured with his father. Sarah Lee and Cathy perform together as the "Guthrie Girls."
In October 2020, Guthrie announced he was retiring from touring. He mentioned health issues, including a stroke in 2019. He said that being on the road was no longer possible for him.
Discography
Studio Albums
- Alice's Restaurant (1967)
- Running Down the Road (1969)
- Washington County (1970)
- Hobo's Lullaby (1972)
- Last of the Brooklyn Cowboys (1973)
- Arlo Guthrie (1974)
- Amigo (1976)
- One Night (1978), with Shenandoah
- Outlasting the Blues (1979), with Shenandoah
- Power of Love (1981)
- Someday (1986)
- Baby's Storytime (1990)
- Son of the Wind (1992)
- Woody's 20 Grow Big Songs (1992)
- Mystic Journey (1996)
- This Land Is Your Land: An All American Children's Folk Classic (1997), with Woody Guthrie
- In Times Like These (2007), with University of Kentucky Symphony Orchestra
- 32¢ Postage Due (2008)
- Tales of '69 (2009)
Other Works
Selected Filmography
- Alice's Restaurant (1969)
- Renaldo and Clara (1978)
- Baby's Storytime (1989)
- Roadside Prophets (1992)
Notable Television Appearances
- Beat Club (season 1, episode 52) February 28, 1970
- The Byrds of Paradise (1994, 8 episodes), a short-lived ABC drama set in Hawaii
- Relativity December 29, 1996
- Renegade, guest-starring in "Top Ten with a Bullet" (season 5, episode 14) aired on January 24, 1997
- Rich Man, Poor Man Book II: two episodes, 1976
- The fourth season of The Muppet Show.
- The Fiftieth Anniversary of "Alice's Restaurant". PBS special on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 2015
Film and Television Composer
- Alice's Restaurant (1969) (song "Alice's Restaurant Massacree")
- Woodstock (1970)
- Clay Pigeon (1971) also known as Trip to Kill (UK)
- Baby's Storytime (1989)
Producer and Writer
- Isn't This a Time! A Tribute Concert for Harold Leventhal (2004)
- Mooses Come Walking (1995) (children's book)
Appearances as Himself
- The Johnny Cash Show (season 2, episode 1), January 21, 1970
- Hylands hörna (episode # 4.4) January 31, 1970
- Woodstock (1969) (also known as Woodstock 25th Anniversary Edition and as Woodstock, 3 Days of Peace & Music)
- The Dick Cavett Show September 8, 1970
- Arthur Penn 1922–: Themes and Variants (1970) (TV)
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, August 17, 1972
- The Muppet Show (episode # 4.8) June 19, 1979
- Take it to the limit (1980)
- The Weavers: Wasn't That a Time (1982)
- Woody Guthrie: Hard Travelin' (1984)
- Farm Aid '85 (1985) (TV)
- Farm Aid '87 (1987) (TV)
- A Vision Shared: A Tribute to Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly (1988)
- Woodstock: The Lost Performances (1990)
- Woodstock Diary (1994) (TV)
- The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts (1994) (TV)
- The History of Rock 'N' Roll, Vol. 6 (1995) (TV) (also known as My Generation)
- This Land Is Your Land: The Animated Kids' Songs of Woody Guthrie (1997)
- Healthy Kids (1998) (TV series)
- The Ballad of Ramblin' Jack (2000)
- Hollywood Rocks the Movies: The Early Years (1955–1970) (2000) (TV)
- Last Party 2000 (2001) (also known as The Party's Over)
- Pops Goes the Fourth! (July 4, 2001)
- NPR's Talk of the Nation radio broadcast (November 14, 2001)
- "St. James Infirmary" and "City of New Orleans"
- Singing in the Shadow: The Children of Rock Royalty (2003)
- Get Up, Stand Up (2003) (TV series)
- From Wharf Rats to the Lords of the Docks (2004)
- Isn't This a Time! A Tribute Concert for Harold Leventhal (2004)
- Sacco and Vanzetti (2006)
- 1968 with Tom Brokaw (2007)
- Pete Seeger: The Power of Song (2008) (American Masters PBS TV special)
- The 84th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (2010) (TV special)
See Also
In Spanish: Arlo Guthrie para niños
- Jan Randall
- List of 1970s one-hit wonders in the United States
