Peter La Farge (1931-1965) was part of the folk scene in New York in the 1950s and 60s. He was of Native American descent and raised on a ranch in Fountain, Colarado, by his mother. He worked as a rodeo rider and singer, eventually working with Big Bill Broonzy, Josh White and Cisco Houston, who acted as his mentor. After serving in the US Navy in Korea he moved to New York, where he became a central figure in the folk movement, along with Dylan, Rambling Jack Elliott, Dave Van Ronk and Pete Seeger.

In October,1965, Peter La Farge was found dead in his apartment, supposedly from a stroke, possibly from an overdose, though, according to Liam Clancy, who lived next door, it was suicide by slitting his wrists. Fortunately for us, his music lives on.

Peter was not the first notable member of his family. His father, Oliver La Farge, won the Pulitzer Prize for his 1929 book Laughing Boy, a love story set in the Navajo Nation, and the first Native American novel to receive this honor.




Johnny Cash and June Carter singing As Long as the Grass Shall Grow, on Pete Seeger's Rainbow Quest.

As Long As the Grass Shall Grow

This is one of La Farge's best known songs, as it was covered by Johnny Cash on his album, Bitter Tears.

The song is about the loss of Seneca nation land in Pennsylvania due to the construction of the Kinzua Dam in the early 1960s.

Johnny Cash rewrote the song decades later as a song about his relationship with June Carter Cash and recorded it on his album, Unearthed.

Here is my video of the song and here are the lyrics.

The Ballad of Ira Hayes

La Farge's most famous song,The Ballad of Ira Hayes, tells of a Pima Indian who was one of the five Marines who raised the US flag on Iwa Jima, but who returned home to prejudice and alcoholism.

Johnny Cash covered the song in 1964 on his album, Bitter Tears, and as a single, which reached number 3 on the Billboard country music chart.

Here is a video tribute to Ira Hayes, with the song being sung by Johnny Cash, and here is a good cover by Jacques van de Wal.

Here is my video of the song, and here are the lyrics.

Coyote, my Little Brother

Peter La Farge recorded this song in 1963. It was included on Pete Seeger's album God Bless the Grass, which mainly featured songs by Malvina Reynolds.

Here is Pete Seeger singing it on Rainbow Quest and here it is sung by Emily Lacy.

Here is my rendition of the song and here are the lyrics.

I Will Bring You Flowers

This song is from the 1964 Album, Peter La Farge Sings Women Blues, one of only two La Farge Albums I own. I do not have access to my collection at present and can not find the lyrics on the Internet, so I'm not sure if my rendition is the complete song.

Here is my video of the song, and here are the lyrics.

Johnny Half-Breed

Here is a cover by Eric Andersen.