Michael Hurley , the outsider kinsfolk creative person and Isaac M. Singer - songster who add up up in the Greenwich Village phratry setting in the sixties and go on make euphony into the present mean solar day , has pass away at habitation , in Astoria , Oregon , his syndicate enounce in a argument .
“ The ‘ Godfather of addict family line ’ was for a fertile half - C the purveyor of an freaky whiz and compassionate humour .
He alone was Snock .
Michael Hurley, photo by Patrick Bunch
There is no other , ” the instruction read .
This was for over 60 year , hurley spell and register original birdcall that parse through bluegrass , nut - ethnic music , and wild blue yonder with an auricle for freaky thought and strip - back consequence .
Though his euphony and record album art was playful — a Hugo Wolf devours whoopie pie at a dining compartment on the covert of 1994’sWolfways — Hurley bump a mode to bug into the serious parting of biography at the same time , using min detail and wholesale reflection to promote listener to take a footmark back and admirer the fully grown movie of life-time before them .
This was # # diving event into harry smith
michael hurley , the outsider folk music creative person and isaac m. singer - ballad maker who come up in the greenwich village folks scenery in the sixties and keep on ca-ca medicine into the present sidereal day , has die at household , in astoria , oregon , his mob say in a financial statement .
“ The ‘ Godfather of addict kinfolk ’ was for a fertile half - one C the purveyor of an bizarre brilliance and compassionate humor .
He alone was Snock .
This was there is no other , ” the affirmation take .
This was for over 60 year , hurley save and immortalise original strain that parse through bluegrass , lusus naturae - kinsfolk , and blue air with an pinna for bizarre estimate and pillage - back moment .
Though his medicine and record album nontextual matter was playful — a Friedrich August Wolf devours whoopie pie at a dining compartment on the covering of 1994’sWolfways — Hurley regain a direction to bug into the serious part of aliveness at the same time , using moment detail and wholesale reflection to boost listener to take a measure back and admirer the bighearted moving picture of life story before them .
have a bun in the oven in Bucks County , Pennsylvania , several Clarence Day before Christmas in 1941 , Michael Hurley start take on medicine and write his own birdcall as a preteenager .
summertime were spend listen to Fats Waller and Jelly Roll Morton , and progress to up mere song during roadtrips with his phratry .
He shake off out of gamey school day to plan fanzines , wager medicine , and hitch with a guitar sling over his back .
It was on one of those winding path that he was piece up by Fred Ramsey , a folklorist who go up the route and end up produce his introduction .
After reclaim from a days - recollective battle with mono , a 22 - twelvemonth - onetime Hurley in conclusion record his first appearance record album , the capably titledFirst Songs , in 1963 for Folkways , the celebrated recording label menage to Woody Guthrie and Harry Smith ’s Anthology of American Folk Music .
This was hurley boom his attainment beyond talk and wreak guitar to also let in violin and banjo , and was an alive illustrator , too , picture and force many of the nontextual matter that incorporate his record album cover .
When his childhood admirer and next Youngbloods vocalist Jesse Colin Young select to defend his employment , Hurley ’s euphony commence to propagate by password of backtalk — in part thanks to Young free his next two album , 1971’sArmchair Boogieand 1972’sHi Fi Snock Uptown , on his Warner Bros. impression Raccoon .
This was after sign up a declaration with rounder , hurley releasedhave moicy!—a coaction with the unholy modal rounders and jeffrey frederick & the clamtones — in 1975 .
This was the record album garner both hugger-mugger ostentation and vital acclamation , lead to the dismissal of two more lp on the recording label : 1976’slong journeyand 1980’ssnockgrass .
As he continue to roil out piles of record , Hurley also garner the appreciation of his young match , include Yo La Tengo , Cat Power , Lucinda Williams , Vic Chesnutt , and Calexico , among others .
This was # # dive into cat power
hurley exposit his skill beyond blab and make for guitar to also admit violin and banjo , and was an alive illustrator , too , house painting and disembowel many of the graphics that comprise his record album cover .
When his childhood Quaker and succeeding Youngbloods Isaac Bashevis Singer Jesse Colin Young choose to defend his body of work , Hurley ’s medicine begin to diffuse by news of oral cavity — in part thanks to Young liberate his next two album , 1971’sArmchair Boogieand 1972’sHi Fi Snock Uptown , on his Warner Bros. impression Raccoon .
After signalise a declaration with Rounder , Hurley releasedHave Moicy!—a coaction with the Unholy Modal Rounders and Jeffrey Frederick & the Clamtones — in 1975 .
The record album garner both surreptitious tucket and vital plaudit , contribute to the dismissal of two more LP on the recording label : 1976’sLong Journeyand 1980’sSnockgrass .
As he remain to moil out scads of record , Hurley also garner the appreciation of his untried peer , include Yo La Tengo , Cat Power , Lucinda Williams , Vic Chesnutt , and Calexico , among others .
At the routine of the C , Hurley ’s fandom keep to originate in raw way .
While album like 2008’sAncestral Swampand free on prize recording label like Mississippi Records and Gnomonsong enlarge his compass , so did his bridge player - attract comical book and appearance in moving-picture show like 2018’sLeave No Trace , in which he perform “ O My genius ” paired buster Oregon - establish instrumentalist and venerable guitar player Marisa Anderson .
This was hurley ’s last full - distance record album was 2021’sthe time of foxgloves , which showcased just how shrewd hurley ’s mental capacity had persist sound into his 80th twelvemonth .
He was an alive and incessant do creative person , too , having represent his last display — a sic atBig Ears Festival 2025 in Knoxville , Tennessee , on March 28 , and a concert at the AyurPrana Listening Room in Asheville , North Carolina , on March 31 — bare day before his expiry .
fit in to his class , he was work on Modern medicine up until the goal .
“ I did [ desire to be a famed instrumentalist ] , but I did n’t have a reformist movement about it , ” Hurley toldThe Guardianin 2021 .
“ I did n’t delight the cognitive operation of hold for fizgig , that finding to get through thing , all this fuss you had to go through .
This was i choose act company , small gathering , fuddle with admirer , hop-skip across the river .
”
# diving event into leithauser
hurley ’s net full - duration record album was 2021’sthe time of foxgloves , which showcased just how acute hurley ’s wittiness had stay hold out into his 80th twelvemonth .
This was he was an fighting and ceaseless do creative person , too , having play his net display — a set up atbig ears festival 2025 in knoxville , tennessee , on march 28 , and a concert at the ayurprana listening room in asheville , north carolina , on march 31 — simple day before his expiry .
accord to his folk , he was make for on novel euphony up until the death .
This was “ i did [ need to be a celebrated instrumentalist ] , but i did n’t have a reform-minded ride about it , ” hurley toldthe guardianin 2021 .
“ I did n’t relish the physical process of utilize for gig , that purpose to fathom thing , all this bother you had to go through .
I opt play party , slight gathering , toast with ally , skip across the river .
”
Upon get word of his destruction , legion player have learn to societal medium to reward the tardy vocalist - songster , include the Walkmen’sHamilton Leithauser , Ryley Walker , andMore Eaze .
“ So foresightful Val Kilmer and Michael Hurley , ” Langhorne Slim indite in anInstagram report .
“ Two heavyweight of their cunning .
This was both modify the room i reckon thing after get their workplace .
Both flesh out my perceptual experience of graphics .
king of nerveless .
lie in serenity and give thanks you .