Erik-Darling-Obituary

Erik Darling

Obituary

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – Erik Darling, the reedy-voiced guitarist and banjo player who deftly stepped in when Pete Seeger left the pioneering folk music group The Weavers, has died after battling lymphoma. He was 74.

He died Sunday in Chapel Hill, not far from Raleigh.

Darling was perhaps best known for his hit "Walk Right In" and for his arrangement of the iconic Southern true-crime ballad "Tom Dooley," which inspired The Kingston Trio's recording of the song that topped the charts in 1958. He was a member of the Tarriers, known for its version of "The Banana Boat Song (Day-O)" — the signature tune of Harry Belafonte.

Darling also replaced Seeger in the Weavers in the late 1950s, a few years after the band was blacklisted for its political views.

Fred Hellerman, an original member of the group, said he learned of his friend's death by e-mail earlier this week.

"He was immensely talented — immensely talented," Hellerman, 81, said Thursday in a telephone interview from his home in Weston, Conn. "When he came into the Weavers to replace Pete Seeger, which was a pretty tall order, he not only did that, but he brought so much of his own talents to bear that it was overwhelming. It really was."

Hellerman said Darling moved to Chapel Hill a couple of years ago to be near Willard Svanoe, a fellow member of The Rooftop Singers, the band with which he recorded "Walk Right In," a No. 1 hit for Vanguard Records in 1963.

In an e-mail posted on Darling's Web site, Svanoe said Darling died early Aug. 3.

The Weavers first burst on the scene in 1948 in Greenwich Village and had their first national hit in 1950 with "Goodnight Irene." But during the red scare of the 1950s, their politics came under scrutiny and the group was brought in to testify before the House Committee on Un-American Activities.

They soon found themselves blacklisted, and disbanded in 1953. It wasn't until a Christmas 1955 concert at Carnegie Hall that they re-emerged to rejoin the national folk music revival they'd helped launch.

"He was an absolutely logical person to be brought in" after Seeger's departure, Hellerman said. "Of the next generation of Weavers, I mean he was so outstanding that it was hard then or even now to imagine who else we could have brought in other than Erik."

Hellerman said he didn't learn until many years later that Darling was uncomfortable with his band mates' leftist leanings.

Hellerman said they last spoke about a year ago, but he had received a package from Darling in the mail a couple of weeks ago. It was a copy of Darling's recently published memoir, "I'd Give My Life — A Journey by Folk Music." Hellerman said he couldn't put it down.

Ronnie Gilbert, also an original member of The Weavers, said in an e-mail to The Associated Press that she too was reading the autobiography when told of Darling's death. She, like Hellerman, didn't know Darling was ill.

"Three musicians who had recently been planning something with him told me he didn't tell them, either," Gilbert wrote. "A close friend of his said he was a great eccentric. Sure. He was also a beautiful soul. I will miss him very much."

Funeral arrangements were handled by the Cremation Society of the Carolinas in Raleigh.




Copyright © 2008 The Associated Press

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My Harold and I used to walk down to his house thru the Cheshire Gully which went down to his Dads house on the lake. My brother went to school with him. His Dad was a artist and he own a sailboat and we went on the lake. I lost touch with him as I went into the service for 20 years I just found out about his death. He will be sadly missed. We had a lot of fun at his house.b

Bummer. Perhaps PBS could make a documentary about him. I' just learned about Erik a few days ago. It's not even born until 1959.We may have some songs of his,but we were toddlers back then. I have just started listening to Erik's songs on my phone a few days ago,and still am. We have clearly lost a great talent.

Thank you for sharing a part of your life with us.

I love your music and I love the book. You were a most remarkable man and musician. I wish your book had been longer with far more thoughts. I hope you are with your Father hunting and watching the trains.
G Pennington

Thank you Eric Darling for some of the best music I have heard and sung.

For Erik...the reedy-voiced guitarist and banjo player who deftly stepped in when Pete Seeger left the pioneering folk music group The Weavers.

WEEP NOT FOR ME


Do not weep for me when I no longer dwell among the wonders of the earth; for my larger self is free, and my soul rejoices on the other side of pain...on the other side of darkness.

Do not weep for me, for I am a ray of sunshine that touches your skin, a tropical breeze upon your face, the hush of...

In the 60s I had the pleasure of listening to Erik's album True Religion. I still have that album today and still listen to it often. I had looked for a copy of Train Time some time ago and ran across his website. I sent him an email to tell him I felt True Religion was the absolute best album of the folk genera and how much I've enjoyed it. It surprised me when he emailed me back and acknowledged me. Please accept my sincere condolences. I was stunned to hear of his passing. Kind regards,

Eric Darlig was my Uncle. His mother, Laura Darling (Cotton) was my aunt. Any family or friends out there???
RIP Erik

Erik Darling was one of a small handful of musicians who shaped my approach toward fingerstyle guitar - over 45 years ago. The fact that Erik and I became friends - sharing letters, recordings and a memorable dinner in Santa Fe, will always be of great significance to me. Erik once wrote that no one knew his music better than I did and that he and I were similar musicians. It simply doesn't get any better than that. RIP, man...