Ives, Burl, 1909-1995

Carl Sandburg once called Burl Ives "America's Great Ballad Singer." From the 1940s to the 1960s, his diverse talents and spirited performances made him one of America's best-loved entertainers. The traditional repertoire of American folk tunes represented in his performances was considerably different from the popular music of the day. His presence on the musical scene not only served to sustain an awareness of neglected American folk songs, but would contribute to the resurgence of interest in folk music that occurred in the early 1960s. Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives was born on June 14, 1909 in Hunt City Township, Jasper County, Illinois. He was encouraged in his musical interests by his family, especially by his grandmother. Throughout his youth he sang at church functions and performed in community productions. After studying at Eastern Illinois State Teachers College (1927-29), Ives travelled throughout the United States for almost two years, finally settling in New York City, where he studied at Juilliard and began singing professionally. Minor Broadway roles drew the attention of Rodgers and Hart, who wrote a role for Ives in The Boys from Syracuse (1939). During World War II, Ives played a leading role in Irving Berlin's This is the Army (1942) and acted in minor film roles, while developing his folk singing persona, "The wayfaring stranger," in radio and concert appearances. In the 1950s and 1960s, Ives appeared regularly on television and radio and toured abroad promoting American folk music. Throughout this time, he continued to pursue his career in theater, receiving acclaim for his performance as Big daddy in the film version of Tennessee Williams' Cat on a hot tin roof, and winning an Oscar for his performance in the film, The Big country. Ives also published a number of books, including an autobiography The Wayfaring stranger.

From the description of Burl Ives collection, 1940-1960. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 71060103

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