Hedy West
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Biography
Hedwig Grace "Hedy" West, born April 6, 1938, in Cartersville, Georgia, was an American folksinger and songwriter. Raised in a family steeped in folk music and activism, West began performing at local festivals as a teenager. She moved to New York City in 1959 to study music and drama, joining the folk revival scene. Her breakthrough came with an appearance at the Indian Neck Folk Festival in 1961, leading to a signing with Vanguard Records and her debut album New Folks. West's unique banjo style and powerful vocals made her song "500 Miles" one of America's most popular folk songs. She performed at Carnegie Hall and the Newport Folk Festival, collaborating with figures like Pete Seeger. West lived in London and Germany before returning to New York, where she taught folk music at Stony Brook University. She passed away on July 3, 2005.
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