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Michael Hurley, the independent folk singer-songwriter and visual artist whose music influenced generations of alternative musicians, died on April 1, 2025, at age 83. His six-decade career began with the 1964 Folkways album First Songs and continued on his own terms, outside mainstream fame.
Who was Michael Hurley?
Hurley was an American singer-songwriter and visual artist associated with the orbit of the 1960s folk revival, but he built a career that did not follow the conventional music-industry path. Smithsonian Folkways describes him as a traveling musician who made his living on his own terms. The label’s 2025 remembrance says he released more than 30 albums and toured continuously from his 1964 debut.
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REAL SOUND OF FOLK MUSIC / VARIOUS | $22.46 | Buy on Amazon |
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Greatest Hits | $22.79 | Buy on Amazon |
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The Anthology of UnAmerican Folk Music | $32.53 | Buy on Amazon |
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Magic Music For Family Folk | $14.95 | Buy on Amazon |
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VinylShopUS - Lot of 12" Vinyl Records for Crafts & Decoration Artwork for Party Decor Artist Studio... | $16.99 | Buy on Amazon |
Hurley spoke plainly about why he did not pursue the usual ladder of gigs and industry advancement. In a 2021 interview with The Guardian, he said, “I didn’t enjoy the process of applying for gigs, that determination to penetrate things, all this trouble you had to go through.” His independence was not a brief stance or a marketing label; it shaped a long working life in music.
How did his music influence later artists?
Hurley’s work found devoted listeners among musicians who went on to wider recognition, even though Hurley himself never became a mainstream star. The Guardian has named admirers and interpreters including Cat Power, Devendra Banhart, Lucinda Williams, Yo La Tengo, Violent Femmes, and Will Oldham. Cat Power recorded versions of “The Werewolf” and “Sweedeedee,” while Banhart released Hurley albums through his Gnomonsong label.
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That reach helps explain the word “influential” in accounts of Hurley’s life: his songs circulated through fellow artists and independent music culture rather than through conventional pop stardom. Smithsonian Folkways places him in Greenwich Village during the folk revival, while noting that he avoided mainstream fame throughout his career.
Why does First Songs matter?
Recorded when Hurley was 22 and released by Folkways in 1964, First Songs introduced the distinctive folk and country-blues approach he would develop over the decades. The album features Hurley singing and accompanying himself on guitar. It also began a lasting relationship with Folkways, which announced a remastered LP reissue for November 6, 2026.
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In its September 29, 2026 announcement, Smithsonian Folkways described the reissue as an LP in the label’s original tip-on black jacket and said it was available for preorder then. The announcement does not establish current retailer inventory or availability, so check the label’s reissue page for the latest release details.
When did Michael Hurley die, and what was the cause?
Hurley died on April 1, 2025, aged 83, according to Smithsonian Folkways. The Guardian reported that his family described a “recent sudden passing”; that report did not give a cause of death. No cause should be inferred from that description.
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- Genre: Folk...
- Format: Vinyl...
- Label: Thrill Jockey Records...
- Release Date: May 22, 2026...
- Label: Thrill Jockey Records...
Where to learn more about his life and music
Smithsonian Folkways’ Michael Hurley artist page provides biographical context and a starting point for exploring his work. The label’s 2025 remembrance recounts his career, and The Guardian’s 2021 interview offers Hurley’s own reflections on songwriting and the way music came to him.
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- COLLECTION STARTER lots can be used for vintage decoration, as party items or unique gifts
- GENUINE VINYL RECORDS are in this lot. Most of these records are playable but some may come scuffed or the labels may have faded
- CREATIVE TYPES use these to make room dividers, curtains, shop decors, heat them up and shape them into bowls, ashtrays, key chains, guitar picks
- VARIOUS GENRES may be found in this lot. Blues, rock, jazz, rnb, hip-hop, pop, sould, disco, country genres are most common ones
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