Ed McCurdy
Encyclopedia
Ed McCurdy was an American folk
singer, songwriter
, and television
actor
. His anti-war classic, "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream" (1950), inspired and gave hope to those in the peace movement.
, McCurdy left home at 18 to pursue a singing career. He first found success in 1938 as a singer and disc jockey at a gospel radio station in Oklahoma
. By the early 1940s, McCurdy, tall and handsome and with a big baritone voice, had become a popular singer of romantic songs in nightclubs across North America, until the legendary vaudeville fan dancer Sally Rand
caught his act, hired him to join her show, put him in a tuxedo and had him sing his romantic songs to her on stage while pushing her on her swing. He stayed in vaudeville for several years as a singer and straight man to comedian (Fat) Jack E. Leonard
, before moving in 1948, with his Canadian dancer wife and family to Vancouver
where he hosted his own radio show for CBC Radio
. With the success of this show, the CBC transferred him to the flagship national station in Toronto
where he starred in a morning children's show and an adult evening show. During his Canadian radio period, he developed life-time friendships with the guests on his show, such as Pete Seeger
, Lena Horne
, Josh White
, Oscar Peterson
, and Oscar Brand
. He also developed a love for folk music and released his first folk album in 1949.
After achieving great success with his folk show at New York's Village Vanguard
in 1950, McCurdy and his family moved to New York, from where he went on to become one of the world's best-known folk singers. He also became the "L&M Cigarette Man" on television, was an emcee for the George Gobel
Show (national TV), and by 1956, was star of the children's TV show Freddie The Fireman.(Info about Mr.McCurdy playing"Freddie The Fireman"weekday evenings on WABD TV Ch.5 in NYC from 1956 to 1957 can be found in The NYC Kids Shows Round Up"section at "TV Party.Com")
He recorded many albums in the 1950s and 60s for Elektra Records
and Tradition Records
, performed several times at the legendary Newport Folk Festival
, and was a major international folk star throughout the 1950s and early 1960s, with new collaborative friendships built with the younger folk set of Odetta
, Bob Gibson
, Erik Darling, Ramblin' Jack Elliott
and Josh White, Jr..
His widely-covered anti-war classic, "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream," has been recorded in seventy-six languages (it was recently covered by Johnny Cash
in 2002, Garth Brooks
in 2005, and Serena Ryder
in 2006). In November 1989, as Tom Brokaw
stood on top of the Berlin Wall he directed his NBC-TV cameras towards the school children on the East German side of the Berlin Wall, to show the children singing "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream" en masse as the wall was being dismantled.
His collection of risqué Elizabethan folk songs in a three-part series of albums titled When Dalliance was in Flower (and Maidens Lost Their Heads), became a favorite record series of Prince Phillip of England
. The actor Alan Arkin
played with him on these recordings. His single "Miracle of the Wheat" released on Kapp Records in 1956 became a Christmas Tradition on Cincinnati Radio.
By the late 1960s, McCurdy was forced to retire with severe health problems. In 1980, he was gratified that two of his compositions, "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream," and "King's Highway," as recorded by his old friend Josh White, Jr. became the official theme songs for the Peace Corps and VISTA, respectively.
In the mid 1980s, he and his wife Beryl moved to Nova Scotia
, where he enjoyed a second career as a character actor on Canadian
television.
He was awarded the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience award September 26, 1992.
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
singer, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. His anti-war classic, "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream" (1950), inspired and gave hope to those in the peace movement.
Career
Born to a farming family in Willow Hill, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, McCurdy left home at 18 to pursue a singing career. He first found success in 1938 as a singer and disc jockey at a gospel radio station in Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. By the early 1940s, McCurdy, tall and handsome and with a big baritone voice, had become a popular singer of romantic songs in nightclubs across North America, until the legendary vaudeville fan dancer Sally Rand
Sally Rand
Sally Rand was a burlesque dancer and actress, most noted for her ostrich feather fan dance and balloon bubble dance. She also performed under the name Billie Beck.-Early life and career:...
caught his act, hired him to join her show, put him in a tuxedo and had him sing his romantic songs to her on stage while pushing her on her swing. He stayed in vaudeville for several years as a singer and straight man to comedian (Fat) Jack E. Leonard
Jack E. Leonard
Jack E. Leonard was an American comedian who made frequent appearances on television variety and game shows.-Biography:...
, before moving in 1948, with his Canadian dancer wife and family to Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
where he hosted his own radio show for CBC Radio
CBC Radio
CBC Radio generally refers to the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which are outlined below.-English:CBC Radio operates three English language...
. With the success of this show, the CBC transferred him to the flagship national station in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
where he starred in a morning children's show and an adult evening show. During his Canadian radio period, he developed life-time friendships with the guests on his show, such as Pete Seeger
Pete Seeger
Peter "Pete" Seeger is an American folk singer and was an iconic figure in the mid-twentieth century American folk music revival. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, he also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of The Weavers, most notably their recording of Lead...
, Lena Horne
Lena Horne
Lena Mary Calhoun Horne was an American singer, actress, civil rights activist and dancer.Horne joined the chorus of the Cotton Club at the age of sixteen and became a nightclub performer before moving to Hollywood, where she had small parts in numerous movies, and more substantial parts in the...
, Josh White
Josh White
Joshua Daniel White , better known as Josh White, was an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, actor, and civil rights activist. He also recorded under the names "Pinewood Tom" and "Tippy Barton" in the 1930s....
, Oscar Peterson
Oscar Peterson
Oscar Emmanuel Peterson was a Canadian jazz pianist and composer. He was called the "Maharaja of the keyboard" by Duke Ellington, "O.P." by his friends. He released over 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards, and received other numerous awards and honours over the course of his career...
, and Oscar Brand
Oscar Brand
Oscar Brand is a folk singer, songwriter, and author. In his career, spanning over 60 years, he has composed at least 300 songs and released nearly 100 albums, among them Canadian and American patriotic songs...
. He also developed a love for folk music and released his first folk album in 1949.
After achieving great success with his folk show at New York's Village Vanguard
Village Vanguard
The Village Vanguard is a jazz club located at in Greenwich Village, New York City. The club was opened on February 22, 1935, by Max Gordon. At first, it also featured other forms of music such as folk music and beat poetry, but it switched to an all-jazz format in 1957.-History:Over 100 jazz...
in 1950, McCurdy and his family moved to New York, from where he went on to become one of the world's best-known folk singers. He also became the "L&M Cigarette Man" on television, was an emcee for the George Gobel
George Gobel
George Leslie Gobel was an American comedian and actor. He was best known as the star of his own weekly NBC television show, The George Gobel Show, which ran from 1954 to 1960 .-Early years:He was born George Leslie Goebel in Chicago, Illinois, His father, Hermann Goebel, was a...
Show (national TV), and by 1956, was star of the children's TV show Freddie The Fireman.(Info about Mr.McCurdy playing"Freddie The Fireman"weekday evenings on WABD TV Ch.5 in NYC from 1956 to 1957 can be found in The NYC Kids Shows Round Up"section at "TV Party.Com")
He recorded many albums in the 1950s and 60s for Elektra Records
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
and Tradition Records
Tradition Records
Tradition Records was an American record label that existed from 1955 to 1961.The label was founded by Guggenheim heiress Diane Hamilton in 1956. Its first president and director was Patrick "Paddy" Clancy, who was soon to join his brothers and Tommy Makem, as part of the new Irish folk group, The...
, performed several times at the legendary Newport Folk Festival
Newport Folk Festival
The Newport Folk Festival is an American annual folk-oriented music festival in Newport, Rhode Island, which began in 1959 as a counterpart to the previously established Newport Jazz Festival...
, and was a major international folk star throughout the 1950s and early 1960s, with new collaborative friendships built with the younger folk set of Odetta
Odetta
Odetta Holmes, known as Odetta, was an American singer, actress, guitarist, songwriter, and a human rights activist, often referred to as "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement". Her musical repertoire consisted largely of American folk music, blues, jazz, and spirituals...
, Bob Gibson
Bob Gibson
Robert "Bob" Gibson is a retired American professional baseball player. Nicknamed "Hoot" and "Gibby", he was a right-handed pitcher who played his entire 17-year Major League Baseball career with St. Louis Cardinals...
, Erik Darling, Ramblin' Jack Elliott
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
Ramblin' Jack Elliott is an American folk singer and performer.-Life and career:Elliot Charles Adnopoz was born in Brooklyn, New York to Jewish parents in 1931. Elliott grew up inspired by the rodeos at Madison Square Garden, and wanted to be a cowboy...
and Josh White, Jr..
His widely-covered anti-war classic, "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream," has been recorded in seventy-six languages (it was recently covered by Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
in 2002, Garth Brooks
Garth Brooks
Troyal Garth Brooks , best known as Garth Brooks, is an American country music artist who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and peaked at number 2 in the US country album chart while climbing to number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart...
in 2005, and Serena Ryder
Serena Ryder
Serena Ryder is a Juno Award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter raised in Millbrook, Ontario.Ranging musically between folk, roots, country, and adult contemporary music, Ryder possesses a five-octave range...
in 2006). In November 1989, as Tom Brokaw
Tom Brokaw
Thomas John "Tom" Brokaw is an American television journalist and author best known as the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News from 1982 to 2004. He is the author of The Greatest Generation and other books and the recipient of numerous awards and honors...
stood on top of the Berlin Wall he directed his NBC-TV cameras towards the school children on the East German side of the Berlin Wall, to show the children singing "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream" en masse as the wall was being dismantled.
His collection of risqué Elizabethan folk songs in a three-part series of albums titled When Dalliance was in Flower (and Maidens Lost Their Heads), became a favorite record series of Prince Phillip of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The actor Alan Arkin
Alan Arkin
Alan Wolf Arkin is an American actor, director, musician and singer. He is known for starring in such films as Wait Until Dark, The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Catch-22, The In-Laws, Edward Scissorhands, Glengarry Glen Ross, Marley & Me, and...
played with him on these recordings. His single "Miracle of the Wheat" released on Kapp Records in 1956 became a Christmas Tradition on Cincinnati Radio.
By the late 1960s, McCurdy was forced to retire with severe health problems. In 1980, he was gratified that two of his compositions, "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream," and "King's Highway," as recorded by his old friend Josh White, Jr. became the official theme songs for the Peace Corps and VISTA, respectively.
In the mid 1980s, he and his wife Beryl moved to Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, where he enjoyed a second career as a character actor on Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
television.
He was awarded the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience award September 26, 1992.
Discography
- 1955: Badmen, Heroes, and Pirate Songs (Elektra RecordsElektra RecordsElektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
) - 1955: "Sin Songs Pro & Con" (Elektra EKL 124)
- 1955: The Ballad Record (Riverside RecordsRiverside RecordsRiverside Records was a United States record label specializing in jazz. Founded by Orrin Keepnews and Bill Grauer under his firm Bill Grauer Productions, Inc. in 1953, the label was a major presence in the jazz record industry for a decade...
) - 1956: The Miracle of the Wheat (single - Kapp Records)
- 1956: Blood Booze 'n Bones (Elektra)
- 1956: Bar Room Ballads (Riverside)
- 195(?): "Let´s Sing Out" (Capri 507) Canada
- 1956: The Folk Singer (Dawn Records)
- 1956: A Ballad Singer's Choice (Tradition Records, Empire Musicwerks)
- 1956: When Dalliance Was In Flower (and Maidens Lost Their Heads) vol. 1 (Elektra)
- 1957: Sin Songs — Pro and Con (Elektra)
- 1957(?): Songs of the Old West (Elektra)
- 195(?): "Songs I Learned Coming Thru The Great Smokies" (FolkArt FLP 5001)
- 1958: When Dalliance Was In Flower (and Maidens Lost Their Heads) vol. 2 (Elektra)
- 1958: When Dalliance Was In Flower (and Maidens Lost Their Heads) vol. 3 (Elektra)
- 1958: Children's Songs (Tradition Records)
- 1959: Son of Dalliance (Elektra)
- 1959: Children's Songs and Stories (Folkways RecordsFolkways RecordsFolkways Records was a record label founded by Moses Asch that documented folk, world, and children's music. It was acquired by the Smithsonian Institution in 1987, and is now part of Smithsonian Folkways.-History:...
) - 1961: A Treasure Chest Of American Folk Song Double LP (Elektra)
- 1963: The Best of Dalliance (Elektra)
- 1971: Song of the Old West (Tradition/Everest TR 2061)[diffent songs than on the Elektra LP]
- 1976: "Last Night I Had The Strangest Dream" (Bear Family Records) Germany
- 1977: On Jordan's Stormy Banks I Stand: Sacred Songs of America with Dana McCurdy (Folkways RecordsFolkways RecordsFolkways Records was a record label founded by Moses Asch that documented folk, world, and children's music. It was acquired by the Smithsonian Institution in 1987, and is now part of Smithsonian Folkways.-History:...
) - 1980: Songs and Stories (Folkways RecordsFolkways RecordsFolkways Records was a record label founded by Moses Asch that documented folk, world, and children's music. It was acquired by the Smithsonian Institution in 1987, and is now part of Smithsonian Folkways.-History:...
) - 1996: Cowboy Songs (Tradition Records)
- 1996: Naughty & Bawdy Songs of Olde England (Warner Bros. RecordsWarner Bros. RecordsWarner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
) - The Legend of Robin Hood (Riverside)
- American Folk Songs (Spoken Arts)
- A Child's Introduction to American Folk Songs (Spoken Arts)
- Sings Folksongs Of The Sea (Tiara Spotlight Series - TST 537)