American Troubadors: Groundbreaking Singer-Songwriters of the 60s

by Mark Brend

(Book). This book shows how nine talented artists David Ackles, David Blue, Tim Buckley, Tim Hardin, Fred Neil, Phil Ochs, Tom Rapp, Tim Rose and Tom Rush each expanded the standard pop blueprint of the day and made a significant contribution to rock's coming of age, with songs like "If I Were a Carpenter," "Everybody's Talkin'" and "Hey Joe." Features photos throughout, discographies, and great color images.

Genres: Music

192 pages, Paperback

First published July 10, 2001

Reviews

[tortoise dreams]

American Troubadours is subtitled "groundbreaking singer-songwriters of the 60s," but most of those included here weren't influential and aren't remembered today. The book features an odd group of nine musicians, which except for being white, male, folk music-adjacent, and having a recording career that began between 1963 and 1968, don't have a lot in common. Four died young, most had short musical careers (which happens when you die young) ending in the Seventies, three or four were noted songwriters, four or five were talented singers. Three were named Tim, two each Tom and David. Not many boys' names in the Sixties, I guess. Most people have never heard of David Ackles, David Blue, Tom Rapp, or Tim Rose. Some folks may be at least vaguely familiar with (those folks who both lived through the Sixties and remember them) Tim Hardin ("If I Were a Carpenter"), Fred Neil ("Everybody's Talking"), Phil Ochs ("Changes," "There But for Fortune"), or Tom Rush ("No Regrets"). Tim Buckley may be better known as the father of Jeff Buckley, who had a hit with Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." American Troubadours is lushly produced on heavy stock with a Foreword and an Introduction, a generous color picture gallery of the artists, six to eleven (large) pages of biography for each, an illustrated color discography, a well-annotated discography (with star ratings), a key to various other people mentioned in the book and to other artists of the time, and an index. The photo processing was done in Malaysia and Hong Kong so it's high quality. A first rate production if one doesn't mind the relatively short biographies (they were long enough for me) and the idiosyncratic choice of subjects. There are no women or people of color -- in a group of nine wouldn't you expect at least one such? Just because I'm that way, if someone is interested in a sequel to this book they might consider Judee Sill, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Patrick Sky, Judy Roderick, Richie Havens, Carolyn Hester, Karen Dalton, Janis Ian, Richard and Mimi Fariña, Julie Felix, and Judy Henske among about a hundred other artists who weren't too famous, but had interesting careers back in the day. There are few others who were so unfamous that I just can't quite remember their names at the moment ... . Despite all my harping, I'll admit that as a bedsit guitarist, I have happily tried the excellent songs of Hardin, Neil, and Rush. American Troubadours is interesting, but far from necessary. A quite well done oddity. Unless you're a huge fan of one or more of these artists, in which case it won't be quite enough. [3★]

[Andy]

American Troubadour is a lavishly designed compilation of nine folk singer-songwriters who displayed innovative styles in the Sixties. Upon reading their biographies it almost seems compulsory that they achieve a sort-of "beautiful loser" fatality of sorts, but folk has proven to be just as tragic as jazz and rock.

Brend's compilation neglects certain important artists like Janis Ian, Leonard Cohen, and Laura Nyro possibly because their careers were far more successful than the artists listed in this volume, but it's an ironic bunch in which some fought hard against failure (Tom Rush and David Ackles) whereas others were almost doomed straight out of the gate (Tim Rose and Tim Hardin). It's still a stimulating read, inspiring in places, and Brend got me to finally appreciate David Ackles.

[Stephen]

A good book about forgotten and under-rated folk singers of the 1960s including Fred Neil and Tim Buckley.

While the book is nicely made and contains a good choice of singer-songwriters, I'm not a massive fan of Brend's style of writing. At times I find it very self opinionated. For instance he describes Tim Buckley's 'Greetings From LA' as a mediocre album while many of his fans describe it at his best work. In Fact Brend criticizes these musicians so much I struggle to understand why he wrote a book on them. I'd also struggle to describe Tom Rush as a 'singer-songwriter'. Alan Wilson's contribution to Neil's self titled masterpiece is not even mentioned. Nevertheless the book is structured nicely and contains a good use of images and information on albums. I have never seen another book touch upon some of these musicians in such detail. A must read for any enthusiast of '60s folk music.

[Jon]

Well-written and extensively researched look at a number of relatively less famous performers in what could loosely be described as a folk-rock style, including Tim Buckley, Tim Hardin, Tom Rapp, Tim Rose, Fred Neil, David Blue (who is much more fun to read about than to listen to, to judge by the one song of his I've heard), David Ackles, Phil Ochs, and Tom Rush. Brend made their stories interesting to me, whether I'd heard, or liked, the person or not. Of course, I don't always agree with Brend, he thinks Neil's blend of the traditional ditty "Black Girl" with a Langston Hughes poem in "Merry-Go-Round" is self-indulgent, while I think it's brilliant, but such disputes are part of the fun of reading books like this. Maybe he should have included some women singers from the same era, such as Judy Roderick, but as far as it goes this is great.

[Tara Brabazon]

A short but sweet book that explores the careers of nine singer-songwriters, including Tim Buckley and Phil Ochs. There is attention to politics, but also the disappointments in remaining at the edge of popular culture. The cost and power of moving between genres of folk, blues and rock is clear. It is a book of disappointments and potential, tracking the survival of the long 1960s on music and the music industry.

[Kasper]

Excellent introduction to a number of brilliant but vastly underrated singer-songwriters, especially David Ackles and Phil Ochs. Eloquently written and sure to inspire enthusiasm for their music.

[Joyce Scrivner]

Lots of information about a few male singers from the folksinger side of the 1960s. Interesting.