Guy Carawan
Guy Hughes Carawan Jr. (July 28, 1927 – May 2, 2015) was an American folk musician and musicologist. He served as music director and song leader for the Highlander Research and Education Center in New Market, Tennessee.
Guy Carawan | |
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Guy Carawan, ca. 1990 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Guy Hughes Carawan Jr. |
| Born | July 28, 1927 Los Angeles |
| Died | May 2, 2015 (aged 87) New Market, Tennessee |
| Genres | Folk music |
| Occupation(s) | Folk musician, musicologist |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar, hammer dulcimer |
| Years active | 1950–2015 |
Carawan is famous for introducing the protest song "We Shall Overcome" to the American Civil Rights Movement, by teaching it to the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in 1960. A union organizing song based on a black spiritual, it had been a favorite of Zilphia Horton (d. 1956) wife of the founder of the Highlander Folk School. Carawan reintroduced it at the school when he became its new music director in 1959. The song is copyrighted in the name of Horton, Frank Hamilton, Carawan and Pete Seeger.
Carawan sang and played banjo, guitar, and hammered dulcimer. He frequently performed and recorded with his wife, singer Candie Carawan. The couple had two children, Evan Carawan and Heather Carawan. Occasionally Guy was accompanied by their son Evan Carawan, who plays mandolin and hammered dulcimer.