Phil Ochs

Phil Ochs was born in El Paso, Texas on Dec. 19, 1940. He grew up in a non-political middle class family. While in college at Ohio State University, he met Jim Glover who became his roommate and whose father was Phil's political teacher. It was during this time, while he was majoring in journalism, that Phil formed his political beliefs and started putting them to music.

After three years of college, Phil dropped out and went to New York City. This was during the early '60's when things were booming in Greenwich Village. Phil started out singing at open mikes and passing the hat. By 1964, he was signed by Electra Records and released his first album, All the News That's Fit to Sing. His second album, I Ain't Marching Anymore, was released the following year, and by 1966 he was able to sell out the first of his three solo Carneige Hall concerts.

Most of Phil's songs were politically passionate and poetic, while many others were satirical. He wrote about the topics of the day - civil rights, Viet Nam, hungry miners, and personalities such as Billy Sol Estes, William Worthy and Lou Marsh. In 1967 he signed with A&M Records where his first release was Pleasures of the Harbour in which he used heavily orchestrated arrangements for the first time. Over the next five years, he released four more albums on A&M.

Phil continued to perform and to travel around the world. While in Dar Es Salaam, he was mugged, thereby losing the top notes of his vocal range. His last years were troubled ones as he suffered from manic depression and alcoholism. He committed suicide on April 9, 1976 at the age of 35.

Many of Phil's songs have been covered by other artists. Some of his best known songs are: There But Fortune, I Ain't Marchin' Anymore, Changes, Outside of a Small Circle of Friends and Crucifixion.