Obit: Jackie Alper (6 Sep 2007)

Subject: Obit: Jackie Alper
From: GUEST,georgeward
Date: 10 Sep 07 - 03:48 PM

Jackie Gibson Alper died Thursday, Sept. 6, 2007 at the age of 86. She had been in a Massachusetts nursing home for some time and in failing health. Her son George had just visited, and her daughter Jaye and son-in-law Edward were at her side.

Jackie's was a remarkable life, and I'm counting on Mudcatters and guests who knew her to share their knowledge and remembrances of it.

Jackie's musical/political career (the two were never separate) embraced the Priority Singers, the WW II Roosevelt administration, the Henry Wallace presidential campaign of 1948, the Weavers (she was the fifth member of the original group), active opposition to the political witch hunts of the McCarthy era, support of hundreds of singers, music events and venues, the establishment of "Mostly Folk" in 1971 (a radio show on WRPI in Troy, New York which she began, which she hosted until 1993 and which continues to this day).

She was a friend, supporter and instigator of so many who loved the music, the life and progressive causes that it is hard to imagine a world without her.

Subject: RE: Obit: Jackie Alper
From: Leadbelly
Date: 10 Sep 07 - 04:10 PM

Rest in peace, Jackie. I did't know you, you but according what georgeward wrote, you have been on the right side!

Manfred

Subject: RE: Obit: Jackie Alper
From: Mark Ross
Date: 10 Sep 07 - 04:50 PM

Hell! we lost another one. She was a great lady.   May she rest in peace.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Obit: Jackie Alper (6 Sep 2007)
From: GUEST,Doug MacKenzie
Date: 10 Sep 07 - 06:40 PM

Jackie was a close friend of mine, from when I was a child in the '60s. I used to play with her kids. Later, when I'd grown up, I played on her WRPI radio show, Mostly Folk, a number of times.

Jackie was the most enregetic person I've ever known. She told me some time in the mid '90s, that she had to quit doing the radio show. I thought she was going to say it was due to advancing age, or poor health, but, no, she said she just had to give it up because she was just too busy! She was a sweet person who always genuinely took an interest in people, personally. She used to have a vest just covered with butoons, some political, some funny. To read them all would have given one a good idea of who she was.

A close friend of Woody Guthrie, Cisco Houston, The Beers Family, Pete Seeger, and many others, she helped bring folk music to the northeast.

She was a gem and will be missed.

Doug MacKenzie

Subject: RE: Obit: Jackie Alper (6 Sep 2007)
From: open mike
Date: 11 Sep 07 - 12:10 AM

oohh--i hope someone has a picture...
esp. of her in that buttooned vest..
sounds like a wonderful, energetic
role model.

Laurel

Subject: RE: Obit: Jackie Alper (6 Sep 2007)
From: GUEST,Howard Jack
Date: 11 Sep 07 - 12:43 PM

Jackie brought me in to spell her once a month on the Mostly Folk show back in 1984. I had first heard her when I moved to New York's Capital District in 1973. The thing that impressed me most with her as host of the show was her natural, comfy, relaxed manner. She always sounded like she was just sitting across the kitchen table from you, talking about music and political issues. We've kept the show going with a team of rotating DJs. I always say that it takes about a half dozen people to equal one Jackie.

To see pictures of Jackie with her buttons and singing with Pete Seeger and Ronnie Gilbert, visit the memorial page at the website of the New York Capital District's folk music society, The Pickin' & Singin' Gatherin,' http://pickingandsinging.org/jackie_memorial/index.html

Subject: RE: Obit: Jackie Alper (6 Sep 2007)
From: GUEST,georgeward
Date: 11 Sep 07 - 10:47 PM

Here's Howard's link as a blue clickie, with thanks to the indomitable Howie Eskin for putting up the memorial page. - gw

http://pickingandsinging.org/jackie_memorial/index.html

Subject: RE: Obit: Jackie Alper (6 Sep 2007)
From: georgeward
Date: 13 Sep 07 - 11:53 PM

Refresh

Subject: RE: Obit: Jackie Alper (6 Sep 2007)
From: Jeri
Date: 14 Sep 07 - 12:14 AM

I don't remember ever meeting her in person. For a few years when I was around after discovering folk music, I tuned into Mostly Folk religiously. She had some great people and great shows on. I remember Bernice Johnson Reagon and the Freedom Singers, and Josh White Jr. with a story about swiping a ham. I had recordings of those shows - don't know if I still do. I found a lot of amazing music because of Jackie Alper.