Ronnie Gilbert facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ronnie Gilbert
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Gilbert in August 2006
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Ruth Alice Gilbert |
| Born | September 7, 1926 Brooklyn, New York, New York, U.S. |
| Died | June 6, 2015 (aged 88) Mill Valley, California, U.S. |
| Genres | American folk music, protest music, Americana |
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| Associated acts | The Weavers Pete Seeger The Almanac Singers Arlo Guthrie Woody Guthrie Holly Near Lead Belly |
Ruth Alice "Ronnie" Gilbert (born September 7, 1926 – died June 6, 2015) was an American folk singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. She was a founding member of the famous music group The Weavers. In this group, she sang the alto part, which is a lower female voice. She performed alongside Pete Seeger, Lee Hays, and Fred Hellerman.
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Early Life and Activism
Ronnie Gilbert was born in Brooklyn, New York City. She always thought of herself as a New Yorker. Her parents were immigrants from Eastern Europe. Her mother, Sarah, was from Poland and worked as a dressmaker and a trade unionist. This means she helped organize workers to improve their rights. Her father, Charles Gilbert, was from Ukraine and worked in a factory.
From a young age, Ronnie cared deeply about fairness and justice. She said her mother, who was involved in a Polish-Jewish workers' group, taught her this. When she was in high school, she almost got into trouble. She refused to be in a school play that used "blackface," which was a racist way of making fun of Black people. She spoke out against racism.
During World War II, when she was 16, Ronnie moved to Washington, D.C. She got a government job and joined a folk singing group called the Priority Ramblers. She sang with them before helping to start The Weavers. Later, she helped organize office workers and textile workers in New York. She also met famous folk singers like Woody Guthrie.
Music Career and Social Change
Ronnie Gilbert's singing voice was known for being clear and strong. You can hear her voice in many famous Weavers songs. These include "This Land Is Your Land," "If I Had a Hammer," and "Goodnight, Irene." Her voice often blended with the others but also stood out.
Early Music and Activism
The Weavers were a very important folk music group. However, in the early 1950s, they faced a difficult time. This was during a period when many people were unfairly accused of being communists. Because The Weavers supported left-wing ideas, they were "blacklisted." This meant they were prevented from performing and recording music.
After The Weavers broke up in 1953 because of the blacklist, Ronnie continued her activism. She traveled to Cuba in 1961. She also took part in protests in Paris, France, in 1968. She was always speaking up for what she believed was right.
In 1968, Ronnie also acted on Broadway. She played a serious role in a play called The Man in the Glass Booth. She played a survivor of a concentration camp.
In 1971, Ronnie moved to Berkeley, California. She decided to study and become a therapist. By 1974, she had earned a master's degree in clinical psychology. She worked as a therapist for several years. She said she needed a change from her acting career.
Singing with Holly Near and HARP
In 1974, another singer named Holly Near dedicated her album A Live Album to Ronnie Gilbert. Holly didn't even know if Ronnie was still alive at the time. Ronnie found out about it from her daughter and soon met Holly.
In 1980, a film about The Weavers was being made. During filming, Holly Near and Ronnie Gilbert sang a song together. This moment was left in the film. People who saw it called Holly's record company, asking if they would tour together. Ronnie said this "jump started" their musical partnership. They toured together in 1983 and released their first live album, Lifeline.
In 1984, Ronnie, Holly Near, Arlo Guthrie, and Pete Seeger formed a group called HARP. The name HARP came from the first letters of their names: Holly, Arlo, Ronnie, and Pete. They released an album together. During this tour, Ronnie met Donna Korones, who would become her partner.
Ronnie continued to perform at many folk and women's music festivals. In 1986, she and Holly Near recorded another album called Singing With You.
During this time, Ronnie also wrote and performed a one-woman show. It was about Mary Harris Jones, an Irish-American activist who fought for workers' rights. Ronnie wanted to show Mother Jones as a strong, brave, and funny woman. The songs in the show, mostly written by Ronnie, shared stories of fighting against unfairness in the United States.
Later Music and Activism
In 1991, Ronnie Gilbert recorded two songs, "Lincoln and Liberty" and "When Johnny Comes Marching Home." These songs were for an album called Songs of the Civil War.
In 1992, she sang on a song called Music in My Mother's House with the Vancouver Men's Chorus.
Ronnie once said that songs are "dangerous" and "subversive" because they can change your life. She said this after hearing the singer Paul Robeson when she was 10 years old.
She kept touring and performing in plays and festivals even into her 80s. She also continued her activism. She joined groups like Women in Black to protest conflicts in the Middle East. In 2006, The Weavers received a special Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys. Ronnie Gilbert and Fred Hellerman accepted the award.
Personal Life
Ronnie Gilbert was married to Martin Weg from 1950 to 1959. They had one daughter named Lisa, born in 1952. Their marriage ended in divorce. In 2004, Ronnie married Donna Korones, who was her manager and partner for nearly 20 years.
Ronnie Gilbert passed away on June 6, 2015, in Mill Valley, California. She was 88 years old.
