Talk:John Jacob Niles

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[edit] Surveyor

Why was his early work as a surveyor removed? Badagnani 18:24, 21 October 2006 (UTC)

Because the time line given here does not mention surveying, but instead has him discovering Appalachia as an itinerant Burroughs employee around 1910.

Can anyone out there help me with the following? I grew up in Kentucky in the 1950s and 60s, but never heard Niles's name until I moved to Chicago in the 1970s; there he received some airplay on a major noncommercial FM station. Mind you, Kentucky does not value very well its native sons of esthetic inclination. For example, that Robert Penn Warren was a Kentucky native I did not discover until long after I left the state. I have vague memories of hearing, 30 odd years ago, that Niles was far on the left, like Pete Seeger and Paul Robeson, and that a conspiracy of silence surrounded him since the McCarthy era. I can find absolutely no evidence for this allegation on the web today. What is evident is that Niles was very warm to orthodox Christianity. Moreover, the maiden name of his spouse strikes me as Jewish. At minimum, a scholarly biographical essay on the man is called for.202.36.179.65 09:21, 22 October 2006 (UTC)

It says surveyor here: http://www.john-jacob-niles.com/John_Jacob_Niles_discography.htm Badagnani 09:24, 22 October 2006 (UTC)

Scroll down and you will find Burroughs mentioned, but not surveying. Likewise, the reminiscence by his son (link in article) states that his father was in Appalachia in the years before WWI working for Burroughs. My paternal grandfather, who owned a mine near Harlan KY, 1906-1921, could well have interacted with JJN the Burroughs repairman.202.36.179.65 10:59, 22 October 2006 (UTC)

Lipetz does seem to be a Jewish name. Sorry, I've got no info on his political activities. I've never heard of that. Why not request his FBI file via FOIA? Badagnani 09:34, 22 October 2006 (UTC)

That is a highly distasteful task I gladly leave to others! If Niles steered clear of politics to the left of the New Deal, that was wise of him, but makes his lack of fame all the harder to explain.202.36.179.65 10:59, 22 October 2006 (UTC)

I never thought of him as having a lack of fame; he's a legendary name. But he is rather mysterious. If you've seen the film you'll see immediately what an eccentric he was. Thus his own very strange performances were maybe not as widely disseminated as the "stars" who picked up his songs. I've been through Harlan County and like Letcher County very much too. The link I gave above does say "surveyor." Badagnani 11:03, 22 October 2006 (UTC)