2017 Obit: Antonia Stampfel (Holy Modal Rounders)

Subject: the songwriter Antonia Stampfel
From: keberoxu
Date: 16 May 18 - 04:57 PM

Still alive, as far as I can make out.

A book has recently been published called Bear Suit Follies.
It is about Antonia; much of the content was written by Antonia.
Someone else, however, gets author credit.

The Mudcatters who know Antonia, have very intense feelings about her,
as is evident from existing Mudcat threads.
She hasn't got her own thread, however, prior to this.

According to author John McFadden in Bear Suit Follies,
this songwriter's birthname is Barbara Ann Goldblatt
and her Brooklyn-based family had both Jewish-American and Polish-American origins.

Professionally she most often answered to Antonia,
sometimes to Antonia Duren.
Marriage to Peter Stampfel of the Holy Modal Rounders
resulted in her married name.

John McFadden states that Antonia now lives
in an assisted-living facility in Florida.

At least one Antonia song lyric is in the DigiTrad here.

Would those who know of, and love, Antonia care to keep this thread going?

Subject: RE: the songwriter Antonia Stampfel
From: GUEST,keberoxu
Date: 16 May 18 - 07:47 PM

What about this date:
14 September, 2017?

Spotted a statement that Antonia Stampfel died on that date.
But -- verification?
Have yet to find same.

Subject: RE: the songwriter Antonia Stampfel
From: keberoxu
Date: 17 May 18 - 12:45 PM

It is a little ominous to find
"memorial tribute"
in the descriptions of
"If You Want To Be A Bird"
from last year, and
Get Out and Fly
from early 2018.

I'm getting increasingly suspicious here.

Subject: RE: the songwriter Antonia Stampfel (Modal Rounders)
From: GUEST,John McFadden
Date: 18 May 18 - 10:43 AM

Antonia died last summer after a long period of decline. I am the one who put her writings into a book. We had a memorial tribute concert for her in Brooklyn last fall that was a proper send-off. She was a dear friend for four decades and we loved her deeply.

Subject: RE: the songwriter Antonia Stampfel (Modal Rounders)
From: keberoxu
Date: 19 May 18 - 06:22 PM

Yet more details at this Facebook page, if I can get the link to work.

Holy Modal Rounders

Subject: Obit: Antonia Stampfel, 14 Sept 2017
From: GUEST,Keberoxu, by email to Joe Offer
Date: 20 May 18 - 01:55 AM

Obituary written by John McFadden, but not published until now. Published with his permission.
Antonia Stampfel, age 78, died in Sarasota, FL, on 9/14/17. A native of NYC, she was a prolific writer of songs, short stories and poems. She was a significant contributor to the emerging Greenwich Village folk movement in the early 1960s.

She introduced Peter Stampfel to Steven Weber, who went on to form the Holy Modal Rounders, a band that pioneered what was later termed the “freak folk” movement. Antonia wrote and co-wrote many of their songs, including “If You Want to be a Bird,” which was featured in the soundtrack of the film “Easy Rider”.

She is survived by her daughter, Ronni Troiano, 2 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. A Musical Memorial celebrating her work will be held at the Jalopy Theater, Brooklyn, N.Y. on Sunday, 11/5/17 from 8:00pm-Midnight.

Because of her lifelong interest in exotic bird rescue, memorial contributions can be made in her name to: Lucky Parrot Sanctuary, P.O. Box 110334, Naples, FL 34108-0106.

Subject: RE: 2017 Obit: Antonia Stampfel (Holy Modal Rounders)
From: GUEST,Pamela Winfield
Date: 07 Mar 20 - 02:49 PM

I delighted in receiving her postcards and letters for the better part of 40 years. She was godmother to my son Bo. Bo's dad drummed for the Rounders 69-71, that's how we met. I visited her at the nursing home in Sarasota in 2010 and have lots of photos. She gave me some of her newer work on cd. When I stopped receiving her phone calls and letters I called the nursing home, but all they would tell me was that she was no longer there, but refused to tell me if she had died. So this at least gives me closure. Thank you for holding a service in her honor, I wish I could have attended. She was brilliant. " touched the stars like diamonds in my outstretched, greedy hands." I disremember..

Subject: RE: 2017 Obit: Antonia Stampfel (Holy Modal Rounders)
From: GUEST,Beth
Date: 12 May 20 - 08:39 AM

Barbara/Antonia was a cousin of mine. She was a special person although I did not get to extend that feeling to her. Later in life it came to my attention I may actually be her 1/2 sister. I used to go to their house to sleep over and hang with her brother Jimmy. It was sad to find out through the grapevine that she had passed and so did Jimmy. May they rest in peace in the arms of our Lord.

Subject: RE: 2017 Obit: Antonia Stampfel (Holy Modal Rounders)
From: GUEST,Guest - Dawn Eden Goldstein (dawneden.blogsp
Date: 20 May 20 - 12:48 AM

I am glad to find this thread on Antonia, though sorry to learn she is no longer with us.

In the recesses of my memory, I recall visiting Antonia once at her apartment. It probably was around 1989. Somehow I believe it was Mark Johnson who recommended I contact her, although I also met Peter Stampfel around that time and he might have been the one to put me in touch with her. I was 20 years old and a budding rock and roll historian. It seems to me that I simply looked up Antonia's number in the phone book, called her, mentioned our mutual friend or friends, and received the invitation to visit her.

I recall we chatted for a short while and she told me about how she and Peter ran the Lovin' Spoonful fan club. She also showed me her costume-jewelry collection, as I was crazy about vintage clothes and accessories. When I oohed and aahed over a particular necklace made of cubes of electric-blue lucite, she gave it to me. Her generosity amazed me, given that I was little more than a stranger.

Despite Antonia's kindness to me, I didn't contact her again, being very much on my own trip at that time. I regret that now. But it was a blessing to have met her at all.

Subject: RE: 2017 Obit: Antonia Stampfel (Holy Modal Rounders)
From: GUEST,Tiffany
Date: 10 Oct 23 - 11:01 PM

Nice to come across this thread. I am Antonia’s granddaughter. I only got to know her later in her life as she put my mother up for adoption. The few times I did meet her were very sweet. A special person indeed.

Subject: RE: 2017 Obit: Antonia Stampfel (Holy Modal Rounders)
From: robomatic
Date: 10 Oct 23 - 11:31 PM

I was introduced to the Holy Modal Rounders via Dr. Demento who played, more than once, "Boobsalot" on his show.

Subject: RE: 2017 Obit: Antonia Stampfel (Holy Modal Rounders)
From: GUEST,Tiffany
Date: 10 Oct 23 - 11:01 PM

Nice to come across this thread. I am Antonia’s granddaughter. I only got to know her later in her life as she put my mother up for adoption. The few times I did meet her were very sweet. A special person indeed.

Subject: RE: 2017 Obit: Antonia Stampfel (Holy Modal Rounders)
From: robomatic
Date: 10 Oct 23 - 11:31 PM

I was introduced to the Holy Modal Rounders via Dr. Demento who played, more than once, "Boobsalot" on his show.