How Greenwich Village Helped Save Harry Belafonte
In 1951, Harry Belafonte decided he was finished with singing. For the past few years, he had been taking acting classes at the Dramatic Workshop of The New School with … Continued
In 1951, Harry Belafonte decided he was finished with singing. For the past few years, he had been taking acting classes at the Dramatic Workshop of The New School with … Continued
By Maya Wilson
Dave Van Ronk has been called a “folk singer’s folk singer.” He personified the image of the Greenwich Village artist and musician as the “local” who didn’t forsake his roots … Continued
“American Pie” is perhaps one of the most compelling, beloved, and cryptic songs in the American songbook. Written by Don McLean in 1970, the song sprang from the Folk Music … Continued
As 2020 comes to a close, it’s a good time to take stock and look back on our most popular posts of the year. This eclectic mix of culture and … Continued
Where do folk music and gothic poetry come together? In Greenwich Village, of course! Two beloved but very different figures in the Village’s history are united in a surprising twist … Continued
By Ariel Kates
It’s time to dive into our beloved neighborhoods of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo as they’re seen through the movie camera lens. Presented in no apparent order, this … Continued
The Queensboro Bridge, built in 1909, was the first bridge linking Queens to Manhattan. Directly connecting Midtown Manhattan to booming Long Island City and used by millions of commuters each year, this amazing and still free bridge is also an architectural and engineering marvel.
This is one in a series of posts marking the 50th anniversary of the designation of the Greenwich Village Historic District. Click here to check out our year-long activities and … Continued
This is one in a series of posts marking the 50th anniversary of the designation of the Greenwich Village Historic District. Check out our year-long activities and celebrations at gvshp.org/GVHD50. Music is an integral … Continued
This is one in a series of posts marking the 50th anniversary of the designation of the Greenwich Village Historic District. Click here to check out our year-long activities and … Continued
Folk music icon Woody Guthrie was a little man with beady eyes – as described by his second wife Marjorie, though she had imagined him to be taller, strapping, and … Continued
By Ariel Kates
Scrolling through Off the Grid or any other collection of New York history, we’ve all become familiar with the legendary characters of the Village – Dylan, Kerouac, Hendrix, Duchamp, and … Continued
On Saturday, December 10, 2016, the extraordinary Patti Smith accepted the Nobel Prize for Literature on behalf of Bob Dylan in Stockholm, Sweden. In a transcendent performance, Smith was overwhelmed … Continued
There is an absurdity in the photos and video which depict the event now known as “The Beatnik Riots” in Washington Square Park on April 9, 1961. At face value, … Continued
Singer-songwriter Woody Guthrie was born on this day 104 years ago. Although he passed away in 1967, he remains a strong influence on many contemporary artists.
Renowned musician Andy Statman and the Andy Statman Trio will perform in the main sanctuary of the Eldridge Street Synagogue on Thursday, October 22, 2015. This special concert, presented by … Continued
There are some that mark the beginning Greenwich Village’s involvement with the revival of American Folk music as 9 April 1961, with the ‘Beatnik Riot’ in Washington Square Park. But … Continued
By tasha
(This post is part of a series called Village People: A Who’s Who of Greenwich Village, which will explore some of this intern’s favorite Village people and stories.) Paul Clayton … Continued
By tasha
“The artists.” Without a doubt, that response is the one I hear most often when I ask what people love most about the Village’s history. And when it comes to … Continued
By Amanda
We here at Off the Grid are obviously big fans of the Village folk scene of the 1960s, and today we’re thrilled to spotlight one of its biggest stars. Singer/songwriter … Continued
Richie Havens, the iconic singer and guitarist, passed away yesterday at the age of 72. Though originally from Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn, by his late teens Havens had moved to Manhattan … Continued
By Drew
Louisiana’s notorious Angola State Prison. Folk singer Pete Seeger. The Dry Dock District in Alphabet City. The Library of Congress. Kurt Cobain. http://youtu.be/mcXYz0gtJeM?t=15s Seemingly unrelated, right? Not exactly. They are … Continued
By Andito
On August 13, 1966, the classic ode to the trials and joys of summer days and summer nights, Summer in the City by the Lovin’ Spoonful, reached number one on … Continued
On May 24, 1941 a baby named Robert Allen Zimmerman was born in Duluth, Minnesota. Twenty years later, going by Bob Dylan in homage to one of his influences Dylan … Continued
By Dana