Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?

Subject: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: GUEST,Gary in Boston
Date: 12 Apr 05 - 03:30 PM

Hello, folks.

I am trying to help an old friend of mine, Mr. Leonard Mirvis (*SOME* of you may remember him) find footage of his appearance on Tonight! America After Dark on June 10th, 1957. He appeared on the show, hosted by Irv Kupcinet (the famous Chicago Times writer) with Jo Mapes and the two of them performed a couple of songs together.

While I know that this is a rather ludicrous request, I wanted to know if anyone had any information on Jo Mapes, since 90% of the references online are to this website or other random Shel liner notes...

If anyone would like further info, or ideally has an answer, please send me a message at [e-mail] (I apologize if this is against policy for MudCat, but I have no other option at this point!)

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: Peace
Date: 12 Apr 05 - 03:43 PM

Message sent.

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: Deckman
Date: 12 Apr 05 - 04:37 PM

Brucie, If you feel it's appropriate to post your information on the open WWW, I also would appreciate knowing the answer to this question. I trust your judgment. Thanks, Bob

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: GUEST,Gary in Boston
Date: 12 Apr 05 - 04:48 PM

I apologize if I'm jumping the gun here, but I saw "Message Sent" and figured an e-mail was on its way to me? So far I have seen nothing...

If you could please try again, brucie, I would greatly appreciate it!

Thanks!

Gary

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: Once Famous
Date: 12 Apr 05 - 04:52 PM

I would like to know, also. I used to think she was a fine singer.

As a side note, I am almost positive that it was Jo Mapes who used to sing on a Kellogg's Raisin Bran commercial sometime in the 1960s. Can anyone confirm this?

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Apr 05 - 05:14 PM

Jo Mapes daughter is a film producer - Hillary Mapes Levine [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: Peace
Date: 12 Apr 05 - 05:30 PM

No reason I can't post it here. It was something she wrote in 2002 on the following site:

Here's the message I thought I'd sent to Gary in Boston.

"You might wish to try here

The Garret Coffee House -- Guest Book

Google that if the blue thing doesn't work.

She posted there in 2002, and says she is living in a Chicago suburb.

Her daughters name is Hillary, and there is a guestbook there that will likely answer your question for you.

Good luck."

BM

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: GinB
Date: 12 Apr 05 - 05:31 PM

Thanks, whoever you are, anonymous Guest!

From what I gathered from Zillary.com, Jo Mapes is still alive, living in Chicago, IL somewhere. She is listed as a Consultant for AFT, An American Folk Tale, which is the project that Hillary Mapes Levine and some others are working on.

So, hopefully I can contact Ms. Mapes some time in the next few days, and if so, perhaps I'll be able to convince her to log on here to say hi! ;)

Thanks again all, and if anyone has any more detailed information, I would love to hear from you at [e-mail] !

Sincerely,

Gary

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: Peace
Date: 12 Apr 05 - 05:32 PM

Gary,

Sorry. Someone at [e-mail] is gonna be wondering what the heck.

Hope that will help, anyawy.

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: GinB
Date: 12 Apr 05 - 05:43 PM

lol

That e-mail will probably just bounce back to you - we all run first initial last name here, and I know there's no G. Askins here ;)

Anyway, I hope it does too, but thanks much!! =)

I've been hunting for this footage since the beginning of this year, so hopefully now that I have the specific details, I can get a definitive answer for Mr. Mirvis...

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: Peace
Date: 12 Apr 05 - 06:31 PM

Hope things work well, Gary.

Bruce

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 12 Apr 05 - 07:04 PM

Elijah Wald quotes her in his book on Josh White. I think he must have had recent contact.

I have just been reading it.

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: GinB
Date: 12 Apr 05 - 07:33 PM

Weelittledrummer,

What year was that book published?

Do you know anything about Elijah Wald?

Thanks,

Gary

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 12 Apr 05 - 09:20 PM

If any of you finds Jo, please, be sure to give her all my best wishes---from golden olden times in Old Town.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: JJ
Date: 13 Apr 05 - 09:12 AM

She was certainly alive and well a couple of years ago when I had a short e-correspondence with her. Was working on her memoirs and trying to track down her old albums.

She had many colorful things to say about the head of Kapp Records, who wanted her to record as "Jo March."

"Guess what his favorite book was?" she wrote.

Unfortunately, I've had several crashes since then and have lost her e-mail address.

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: GUEST,Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Apr 05 - 10:29 AM

Interesting!

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: Once Famous
Date: 13 Apr 05 - 11:25 AM

So no one remembers the commercial she sang on?

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: Chris in Wheaton
Date: 13 Apr 05 - 11:42 AM

Jo did a wonderful concert for Hogeye music in Evanston a couple of years ago. I'm sure they can help you contact her. They're having Anne Hills this Saturday! Anne or Mark Moss likely could help you too - join the Sing Out yahoo group and ask there.
Jo was the first person that I ever heard sing San Francisco Bay Blues (at the original Old Town School circa '60) - this lead to a life of listening to and trying to play great folk music.
I also got to have dinner once with Odetta and she told me (I think) that it was in high school that Jo introduced Odetta to folk music. There's gotta be a great book in there somewhere.
Chris in Chicago

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: Mark Ross
Date: 13 Apr 05 - 11:42 AM

Elijah Wald is a fine writer, as well as a helluva guitar picker(he's a student of Dave Van Ronk's editing Dave's memoirs which just came out), a record producer and shirtmaker. Check out his website at;

www.elijahwald.com

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: Once Famous
Date: 13 Apr 05 - 11:52 AM

Chris in Wheaton: I also learned San Francisco Bay Blues through her rendition, but had forgot that fact from some 40 years ago until I saw your post.

I still perform it.

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 13 Apr 05 - 08:44 PM

from the tone of your e-mail, I thought the book was going to be published about 1971 - I hadn't checked.

it was actually published in 2000 which isn't that long ago in the time frame we're talking about. i didn't think it could be that long because it was as a biographer of Josh White he was billed in a recent mudcat announcement.

No I don't know of Mr Wald's musical accomplishments. However he has written a thoughtful, affectionate book with great thoroughness and a prose style which with apparent effortlessness retains the readers interest. His book is a fine tribute to a guitarist whose work was famous in England to my father's generation.

anyway why not e-mail the guy and ask him - the anecdote featuring the lady in question is quite controversial - I imagine its the sort of thing he would have cross checked.

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: BK Lick
Date: 14 Apr 05 - 04:23 AM

The guest book entry that brucie mentioned is here (scroll down to the bottom) and one from her daughter Hillary in January 2005 is here (scroll down to 79). There's also a brief bio of Jo here from 2002 it looks like.

Yes, MG, it was indeed Jo Mapes who used to sing on the Kellogg's Raisin Bran commercial.

BTW, I noticed that the link to a 1964 radio program with Fleming Brown in this thread (in which I mentioned Jo) was broken -- it's working now.

-- BK

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: GUEST,Norm MadDawg Siegel
Date: 02 Apr 06 - 03:10 PM

Well, if you haven't discovered it yet, Jo IS alive and well, being a Gradma in Deerfield IL. I may have found an email address for her and I am trying so hard to find her myself. FYI, her uncle was my grandfather's half brother, so that sort of makes us cousins! RIGHT!
Have sent her a note and will see ifshe wants to publish te email address. Hopefully it is hers and she will at least post here! We can only hope!!!!

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 03 Apr 06 - 10:39 AM

I had a crush on Jo back in the '60s---when she was married to Fleming Brown---and then to Bill Brown. 'Twas cool---didn't have to change her stationary!

Art

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: GUEST,Norm MadDawg Siegel
Date: 06 Apr 06 - 11:36 AM

HEy Art! Didn't we all?!!!

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: GUEST,FolkSongs101
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 03:08 PM

Current Info   phone number kept private

email: [e-mail]
address:
Jo Mapes
Apt 211
One Deerfield Place
Deerfield, IL 60015

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 11:39 AM

Gary I tried to send this to your email address but it failed. Maybe you will see it here:

A friend of mine said that several months ago he knew her email address was [e-mail] (and if anything is wrong with that try two c's)

claims he saw it on a website of hers but when I tried the website it said it was closed down.

According to her bio that I read someplace she lives in a senior apartment in Deerfield, IL.

There is only one, so try this address if you write to her:
One Deerfield Place
Deerfield, IL 60015

I did some searching and it seems that her phone may be [phone] but I am not sure about her apartment number because one source shows 513 and another 211. Since I saw several listings for 513 maybe 211 is newer. The only reason I was able to find all this through a service I use is that her entertainer name is the same as her real name now.

Good luck!

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 06:58 PM

Well, GUEST, if it was once private, it is no more.

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: GUEST,Jo Mapes
Date: 28 Apr 06 - 07:28 PM

HELLO- GARY AND EVERYBODY!

       JO MAPES HERE. I'M ALIVE AND WELL, LIVING IN DEERFIELD, AND SURPRISED AND DELIGHTED TO HAVE FOUND THIS SITE! (WITH APOLOGIES FOR ALL CAP LETTERS) STILL SING,AND PLAY MY BIG OLD BEAUTIFUL GUILD.(HANDS ARE A PROBLEM, BUT I WORK ON IT)

MY BEST TO YOU ALL, AND I THANK YOU.

JO. [e-mail]

*"Maca" is what my grandkids call me.

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: frogprince
Date: 28 Apr 06 - 07:41 PM

Well, Hello Ms. Jo! It's too long since I last heard and enjoyed you; at the Old Town School, if my memory isn't crossed up.

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: MACA
Date: 28 Apr 06 - 08:46 PM

HI,FROGPRINCE,

   NICE TO HEAR FROM YOU! IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE OLD TOWN SCHOOL, I TAUGHT GUITAR AND STAGE PERFORMING THERE. PERFORMED AT FUNCTIONS. WERE YOU A STUDENT THERE? A YOUNG FOLKIE?
JO

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: frogprince
Date: 28 Apr 06 - 09:02 PM

Never got to be a student there; just made it for performances now and then. I was a younger folkie than I am now, in my 30's then; It's 25 years now since I moved from Chicago to Michigan. I've never been a performer; in recent years I've been a late bloomer as a songwriter, blessed with a wife with the ability to sing my stuff well when an opportunity comes up now and again.
The really younger part was watching a TV show called "Hootenany" that you just might remember...
                                       Dean

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 28 Apr 06 - 10:04 PM

Someone above mentioned the Garrett Coffe House. The web site (if still up) is a wonderful nostalgia. Terrea Lea was the owner and resident performer. She had a local, daily television show in the mid fifties, I guess; just a folk singer and her guitar. Anyway the Garrett and all like venues are long gone, and Terrea Lea and partners ran a donut shop in northern San Diego county, and maybe still do.
Terrea Lea recorded several albums, but I have never heard any on folk nostalgia recordings or on the net. I guess she was just too provincial to the Southern California area.

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 28 Apr 06 - 10:27 PM

Hi, Jo,

What a blast this is meeting you here at this end of the time line--and on this machine I once said I'd never get involved with. As I'm sure you know, Woody's guitar said, "This Machine Kills Fascists!"

My banjo head said, "This Machine Kills TIME !!"

Now I've got those words pasted on this computer!!!

I'll be e-mailing soon. Norman gave it to me but I lost it. Thanks for providing it.

Art

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Apr 06 - 11:48 PM

Welcome to Mudcat, Ms. Mapes!

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: MACA
Date: 12 Sep 06 - 01:01 PM

Hi! I'm still here. Go to www.jomapessingingpage.com   I just put it up. Thanks for asking,
Jo

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: MACA
Date: 12 Sep 06 - 01:04 PM

Hi Martin,
Yes, that's me on the Kellog commercial! I've just put up a site: www.jomapessingingpage.com Thanks for remembering me,
Jo

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: MACA
Date: 12 Sep 06 - 01:15 PM

Sure I'm alive. Go to www.jomapessingingpage.com
Thenks!
Jo

Subject: RE: Jo Mapes - Is She Still Alive?
From: MACA
Date: 12 Sep 06 - 02:19 PM

Hey Art, I always had a bit of a crush on you And I've never used personalized stationary.
Jo

Being as how Jo is alive and well and now a member of Mudcat, let's close this thread and continue our welcome of her, and our conversations with her to the Jo Mapes - Yes I Am Alive thread. -- Mudelf