FRED HELLERMAN, 89, on Sept. 1 at his home in Weston, Conn., following a lengthy illness. The last surviving member of the original Weavers formed in 1948 with Pete Seeger, Ronnie Gilbert and Lee Hays.
The group helped spark a national folk revival, churning out such hits as “Goodnight Irene,” “On Top of Old Smoky,” “If I Had a Hammer,” and “Kisses Sweeter than Wine.” The Weavers was blacklisted during the McCarthy anti-communist era, but resumed performing in 1955. Hellerman later operated a recording studio in his home and produced Alice’s Restaurant for Woody Guthrie’s son, Arlo.
