- Erik Darling
Erik Darling (
September 25 ,1933 -August 3 ,2008 ) was an Americansongwriter and afolk music artist. He was an important influence on the folk scene in the late 1950s and early 1960s.Darling was born in
Baltimore, Maryland . Inspired by the folk music groupThe Weavers , in the '50s, he formed The Tunetellers, later called The Tarriers with actor/singerAlan Arkin . Their version of the "Banana Boat Song " reached #4 on the Billboard charts.Darling left that group to replace
Pete Seeger in The Weavers, staying with them from 1958 through 1962. He then formedThe Rooftop Singers , who had a number one single with the song "Walk Right In ", and his solo album "True Religion" for Vanguard was influential on younger folkies of the day.Don McLean who became friends with Darling in 1961, looked back on Darling as “a genuine philosopher and perfectionist.” He said, “I appreciated the time he spent with me so long ago. Undivided mental attention to every aspect of music making and performing is a hallmark of Erik’s work, and I believe some of that rubbed off on me.”. [ cite book |title=The Don McLean Story: Killing Us Softly With His Songs |last=Howard |first=Alan |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=2007 |publisher=Lulu Press Inc. |location= |isbn=978-1430306825 |pages=420 ]In 1967, Darling and Paul Bennett were co-credited for writing the song "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You," by
Quicksilver Messenger Service , which appears to be a medley of Darling's 1958 song "St. John's River" and Joan Baez's "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You".He died in Chapel Hill,
North Carolina fromlymphoma at the age of 74.References
External links
* [http://www.erikdarling.com/ Official website]
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=11:litxlfhe5cqt All Music]
* [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/06/AR2008080603762.html Washington Post obit]
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