Fred Holstein
Encyclopedia
Fred Holstein was a folk music
singer in Chicago
, IL
. Holstein was a prominent figure in the Chicago folk music scene in the 1970s. He owned a sequence of clubs in the Old Town
and Lincoln Park
neighborhoods. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he was not a songwriter, but his talent for singing with his resonant baritone and arranging was well recognized.
, John Prine
, Bonnie Koloc
. Holstein owned or co-owned several folk music clubs in the Old Town, Lincoln Park, and New Town/Lakeview
neighborhoods, including Somebody Else's Troubles and Holstein's. Fred was known for his knowledge of several hundred songs and "instant recall," as well as being able to accompany himself on guitar, banjo, and twelve string. Fred was an admirer of ballad singers like Woody Guthrie
and Utah Phillips
. He would remind aspiring musicians to "Understand the song. It is a lot more important than you are."
Fred was born on December 9, 1942, and grew up in Chicago's South Shore
neighborhood. After seeing a Pete Seeger
concert he decided he wanted to study folk music. Fred took lessons at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music
starting in 1960. He had a long relationship with the school afterward, even working in the Folklore center music store. Of the Old Town School Fred said:
"I headed east on North Avenue, looking for 333 West North, only to pass it by several times. In my mind's eye, I was looking for a school, an institution, with a big lot, columns and pillars, monkey bars, etc. I didn't realize it was possible to have a school on the second floor of an old meeting hall.
When I found it, there was Frank Hamilton leading the second half, singing 'Welcome Table,' using what I was to find out later was a bass run on the guitar; Dawn Greening being gracious and wonderful serving homemade cookies; the Clancy Brothers dropping by to do a few songs; and I knew Fleming Brown
, the great banjo player wasn't far away - I was in heaven!"
Fred began playing around Chicago in the 1960s, first at places like the Old Town Pub and a bar in Morton Grove
called Scot's Cellar. At Scot's, Fred first met and began mentoring younger fellow musician Steve Goodman
. He briefly tried making a living as a performer in San Francisco and Greenwich Village
in New York
, but soon returned to Chicago.
Fred's fame did not extend much beyond Chicago, as he did not tour or record much, but within Chicago he was well known. He was a resident musician at the now defunct Chicago clubs "Somebody Else's Troubles" and "The Earl of Old Town". Fred first played at the Earl in 1966. Fred had an easy-going stage presence, routinely tailoring set lists to friends birthdays or requests, but would not tolerate a disruptive audience and tell them to "shut up". Fred loved to constantly share new songs with his audience as soon as he could, he would attempt a new song as soon as he could stumble through it.
Holstein's, located on North Lincoln Avenue
, marked the twilight of the Chicago folk music scene. Fred and, his brother, Ed would regularly open shows at the club, and sometimes headline them. The club closed in 1987. In his later years, Fred performed two or three times a year at the Abbey Pub, an Irish bar on the Northwest Side of Chicago, often with Ed as the opener. In his final years, Fred suffered from various illnesses, and was unable to perform at the annual New Year's Eve concert at WFMT
on December 31, 2003. He died of complications from surgery on January 12, 2004.
Proceeds from sales of his album Remembering Fred benefit the Fred Holstein Scholarship Fund at the Old Town School of Folk Music.
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 in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, IL
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. Holstein was a prominent figure in the Chicago folk music scene in the 1970s. He owned a sequence of clubs in the Old Town
Old Town, Chicago
Old Town is a neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois, bounded by the Ogden Ave. right-of-way on the northwest, Larrabee Street on the west, Clybourn Avenue on the southwest and Division Street on the south and Clark Street on the east and northeast. It spans across eastern parts of the community areas...
and Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park, Chicago
Lincoln Park, is one of the 77 community areas on Chicago, Illinois North Side, USA. Named after Lincoln Park, a vast park bordering Lake Michigan, the community area is anchored by the Lincoln Park Zoo and DePaul University...
neighborhoods. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he was not a songwriter, but his talent for singing with his resonant baritone and arranging was well recognized.
Overview
An anchor of the Chicago folk scene and a contemporary of Steve GoodmanSteve Goodman
Steve Goodman was an American folk music singer-songwriter from Chicago, Illinois. The writer of "City of New Orleans", made popular by Arlo Guthrie, Goodman won two Grammy Awards.-Personal life:...
, John Prine
John Prine
John Prine is an American country/folk singer-songwriter. He has been active as a recording artist and live performer since the early 1970s.-Biography:...
, Bonnie Koloc
Bonnie Koloc
Bonnie Koloc is an American folk music singer-songwriter, actress, and artist who was considered one of the three main Illinois-based folk singers in the 1970s, along with Steve Goodman and John Prine forming the "trinity of the Chicago folk scene."...
. Holstein owned or co-owned several folk music clubs in the Old Town, Lincoln Park, and New Town/Lakeview
Lakeview, Chicago
Lake View, or Lakeview, is one of the 77 community area of the Chicago, Illinois, located in the city's North Side. It is bordered by West Diversey Parkway on the south, West Irving Park Road on the north, North Ravenswood Avenue on the west, and the shore of Lake Michigan on the east...
neighborhoods, including Somebody Else's Troubles and Holstein's. Fred was known for his knowledge of several hundred songs and "instant recall," as well as being able to accompany himself on guitar, banjo, and twelve string. Fred was an admirer of ballad singers like Woody Guthrie
Woody Guthrie
Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Guthrie is best known as an American singer-songwriter and folk musician, whose musical legacy includes hundreds of political, traditional and children's songs, ballads and improvised works. He frequently performed with the slogan This Machine Kills Fascists displayed on his...
and Utah Phillips
Utah Phillips
Bruce Duncan "Utah" Phillips was a labor organizer, folk singer, storyteller, poet and the "Golden Voice of the Great Southwest". He described the struggles of labor unions and the power of direct action, self-identifying as an anarchist...
. He would remind aspiring musicians to "Understand the song. It is a lot more important than you are."
Fred was born on December 9, 1942, and grew up in Chicago's South Shore
South Shore, Chicago
South Shore is one of 77 well-defined community areas of the City of Chicago, Illinois in the United States. A predominately black neighborhood located along Chicago's southern lakefront, it is a relatively stable and gentrifying neighborhood...
neighborhood. After seeing a 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...
concert he decided he wanted to study folk music. Fred took lessons at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music
Old Town School of Folk Music
The Old Town School of Folk Music is a Chicago teaching and performing institution that launched the careers of many notable folk music artists...
starting in 1960. He had a long relationship with the school afterward, even working in the Folklore center music store. Of the Old Town School Fred said:
"I headed east on North Avenue, looking for 333 West North, only to pass it by several times. In my mind's eye, I was looking for a school, an institution, with a big lot, columns and pillars, monkey bars, etc. I didn't realize it was possible to have a school on the second floor of an old meeting hall.
When I found it, there was Frank Hamilton leading the second half, singing 'Welcome Table,' using what I was to find out later was a bass run on the guitar; Dawn Greening being gracious and wonderful serving homemade cookies; the Clancy Brothers dropping by to do a few songs; and I knew Fleming Brown
Fleming Brown
Fleming Brown, 1926–1984, born in Marshall, Missouri. He was a banjo player and one of the early teachers at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music. As an artist, Brown specialized in traditional songs of the Southern Appalachians. He was influenced by old-time banjo players such as Uncle Dave...
, the great banjo player wasn't far away - I was in heaven!"
Fred began playing around Chicago in the 1960s, first at places like the Old Town Pub and a bar in Morton Grove
Morton Grove, Illinois
Morton Grove is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 22,451 at the 2000 census.The Village President of Morton Grove since April 27, 2009, is Daniel J...
called Scot's Cellar. At Scot's, Fred first met and began mentoring younger fellow musician Steve Goodman
Steve Goodman
Steve Goodman was an American folk music singer-songwriter from Chicago, Illinois. The writer of "City of New Orleans", made popular by Arlo Guthrie, Goodman won two Grammy Awards.-Personal life:...
. He briefly tried making a living as a performer in San Francisco and Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, but soon returned to Chicago.
Fred's fame did not extend much beyond Chicago, as he did not tour or record much, but within Chicago he was well known. He was a resident musician at the now defunct Chicago clubs "Somebody Else's Troubles" and "The Earl of Old Town". Fred first played at the Earl in 1966. Fred had an easy-going stage presence, routinely tailoring set lists to friends birthdays or requests, but would not tolerate a disruptive audience and tell them to "shut up". Fred loved to constantly share new songs with his audience as soon as he could, he would attempt a new song as soon as he could stumble through it.
Holstein's, located on North Lincoln Avenue
Lincoln Avenue (Chicago)
Lincoln Avenue is a major diagonal thoroughfare of the north side of city of Chicago. It runs from Clark Street on the western border of Lincoln Park largely to the northwest, ending in Morton Grove, Illinois...
, marked the twilight of the Chicago folk music scene. Fred and, his brother, Ed would regularly open shows at the club, and sometimes headline them. The club closed in 1987. In his later years, Fred performed two or three times a year at the Abbey Pub, an Irish bar on the Northwest Side of Chicago, often with Ed as the opener. In his final years, Fred suffered from various illnesses, and was unable to perform at the annual New Year's Eve concert at WFMT
WFMT
WFMT is an FM radio station in Chicago, Illinois, featuring a format of fine arts, classical music programming, and shows exploring such genres as folk and jazz). The station is managed by Window To The World Communications, Inc., owner of WTTW, one of Chicago's two Public Broadcasting Service ...
on December 31, 2003. He died of complications from surgery on January 12, 2004.
Proceeds from sales of his album Remembering Fred benefit the Fred Holstein Scholarship Fund at the Old Town School of Folk Music.
Discography
- Remembering Fred - A Tribute to Fred Holstein, 2004 Old Town School Recordings
- Fred Holstein, A Collection collected works 1977-1983, self produced
- Fred Holstein, Live at the Earl of Old Town, 2008 (recorded 1969), Eddie Holstein
- Appears on Gathering at the Earl of Old Town, 1970
- Appears on Rebel Voices: Songs of the Industrial Workers of the World as Performed by the Members of Local 630, 1993 CD reissue
External links
- Fred Holstein.com - Fred's website, his recordings are here for purchase as well.
- Fred Holstein Last Chorus, Sing Out Magazine, 3/22/2006