Peter La Farge facts for kids

Peter La Farge (born Oliver Albee La Farge) was a talented folksinger and songwriter. He lived in New York City during the 1950s and 1960s. Peter is famous for his connections with music legends like Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash.

Growing Up: Peter's Early Life

Oliver Albee La Farge was born in 1931. His father, Oliver La Farge, was a writer who won a Pulitzer Prize. His mother, Wanden, came from a wealthy family. The family moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Oliver's younger sister, Povy, was born there in 1933.

Sadly, his parents' marriage ended in 1937. His mother, Wanden, took the children to Colorado. She bought a ranch in Fountain in 1940. Later, she married the ranch foreman, Alexander "Andy" Kane.

Peter grew up partly in New Mexico and partly on the ranch in Colorado. He didn't get along well with his stepfather. Peter and his father both loved and respected Native American cultures. His father studied them deeply. Later, Peter changed his name from Oliver to Peter. He sometimes even claimed he was adopted, which wasn't true. He also claimed to be related to the Narragansett Indian tribe. This claim has never been proven.

Peter went to Fountain Valley High School. But he left before finishing. Around this time, he started performing in local plays. In 1946 and 1947, he sang cowboy songs on radio stations KVOR and KRDO. As a teenager, Peter started competing in rodeos. He rode horses in bareback and saddle bronc events.

Serving His Country and Starting Out

La Farge joined the United States Navy in 1950. He served on the aircraft carrier USS Boxer during the Korean War. He also worked as an undercover agent for the Central Intelligence Division (CID). While in the Navy, he learned to box. He had many prize fights and broke his nose twice.

His ship was once hit by a plane that crashed during landing. Peter suffered burns in the fire that followed. He left the Navy in 1953. He received several medals for his service.

After the war, La Farge went back to being a rodeo cowboy. He often got hurt. In one accident with a Brahma bull, he almost lost a leg. After he recovered, he studied acting in Chicago. He stayed there for two years. During this time, he married Suzanne Becker, who was also an actor.

New York Music Scene and Fame

La Farge moved to New York City. There, he became very interested in music. He worked with famous musicians like Big Bill Broonzy and Josh White. Cisco Houston became a special mentor to Peter. Houston taught him a lot about songwriting and life.

Peter La Farge became a well-known folk music singer in Greenwich Village. He performed alongside artists like Bob Dylan, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, and Pete Seeger. For a short time, he had a contract with Columbia Records.

In September 1962, Peter Seeger hosted a concert at Carnegie Hall. It was to introduce new talent. At this event, Bob Dylan sang one of La Farge's songs. The song was called "As Long as the Grass Shall Grow." It was about the flooding of the Allegheny Reservoir. This flooding went against a treaty signed with the Seneca Nation of New York. Dylan then performed his own famous song, "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall." La Farge later recorded his own version of "As Long as the Grass Shall Grow." Johnny Cash and other artists also covered it.

Peter's performances in Greenwich Village led to a recording contract. He signed with Moses Asch, who started Folkways Records. La Farge released five albums with Folkways between 1962 and 1965. These albums focused on Native American stories. They also included blues, cowboy songs, and love songs.

His most famous song is "The Ballad of Ira Hayes." This song tells the story of Ira Hayes. Ira was a Pima Indian who became a hero in World War II. He was one of six Marines who raised the U.S. flag on Iwo Jima. After the war, Ira faced unfair treatment and struggled to adjust to civilian life.

Johnny Cash recorded "The Ballad of Ira Hayes" on his 1964 album, Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian. The song became very popular, reaching Number 2 on the country music charts. Johnny Cash said that La Farge inspired his whole album. The album included four other songs written by La Farge.

By 1965, La Farge was also known as an artist and painter. He lived with a Danish singer named Inger Nielsen. They had a daughter named Karen. Peter was still married to his first wife, Suzanne, so they did not marry.

Johnny Cash's success made folksingers more popular. La Farge signed with MGM Records and planned a new album. However, in October 1965, Peter La Farge was found dead in his New York City apartment. He was buried in Fountain, Colorado. He was survived by his sister, half-brother, daughter, and granddaughter.

In 2010, a tribute album called Rare Breed was released. Many musicians contributed to it. These included John Densmore, Felipe Rose, Hank Williams III, and Sarah Lee Guthrie.

Selected Music Albums

• 1962: Ira Hayes and Other Ballads
• 1962: Iron Mountain and Other Songs
• 1963: As Long as the Grass Shall Grow: Peter La Farge Sings of the Indians
• 1963: Peter La Farge Sings of the Cowboys
• 1964: Peter La Farge Sings Women Blues
• 1965: Peter LaFarge on the Warpath
• 2010: Rare Breed: The Songs of Peter La Farge