Scott Alarik

John Scott Alarik (January 5, 1951 – December 2, 2021) was an American folk singer and writer. Alarik wrote for numerous national magazines, including Billboard, Sing Out, and Performing Songwriter. From 1991 to 1997, Alarik was editor and principal writer for the New England Folk Almanac. He was the primary folk music writer for the Boston Globe for many years.[1] He was also a regular performer on Prairie Home Companion.

Scott Alarik
photo credit Dan Tappan
Born(1951-01-05)5 January 1951
Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota
Died2 December 2021(2021-12-02) (aged 70)
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Occupationfolk music writer, performer, activist

According to Folk New England, "Pete Seeger calls Alarik one of the best writers in America, and Dar Williams calls him 'the finest folk writer in the country.'"[2]

Biography

Alarik was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on January 5, 1951, the son of George H. and Caroline (Thacker) Alarik. He began his folk singing career shortly after high school, often performing at a coffeehouse called Heads Together.[3]

Alarik opposed the Vietnam War. At the age of 19 he joined the Resistance Movement. He was convicted of resisting the draft and served 19 months in federal prison.[4]

Alarik has released five albums, and has appeared at legendary folk music venues such as Caffé Lena in Saratoga Springs, Godfrey Daniels in Pennsylvania, the Speakeasy in Greenwich Village, and the Old Vienna, Iron Horse, and Club Passim in Massachusetts.

Alarik is the author of two books, Revival and Deep Community. Revival (Peter E. Randall Publisher, 2011) is a novel set in the folk music community, which won the Winner, IBPA Benjamin Franklin Silver Award[5] for Popular Fiction. Deep Community (Black Wolf Press (May 15, 2003)) consists of a series of stories and reviews about the modern folk genre, along with interviews with notable American folk music personalities.

Discography
  • Scott Alarik Stories (Swallowtail Records, 1979)
  • Scott Alarik with the New Prairie Ramblers (Swallowtail, 1983)
  • Simply Christmas (1984)
  • -30- (live recording, 2001)
  • All That Is True (Folk Songs New and Old) (2007)

References
  1. "Who Was Folksinger Scott Alarik?". Absolute General News.
  2. "SCOTT ALARIK, INTERVIEWER". Folk New England.
  3. "Scott Alarik Biography". Scott Alarik Biography.
  4. "Scott Alarik Biography". Scott Alarik Biography.
  5. "IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award". IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award.
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