Filk Guest of Honor Murray Porath

Murray Porath is a long-standing (and sitting) fixture in MidWest Filkdom, ever since the first RiverCon in 1974. Born into a musical family (his maternal grandfather was a kosher slaughterer on weekdays and a cantor on weekends; in his honor, Murray butchers music... he also has picked up a fascination with knives. But I digress.)

Major musical influences on Murray were the folksingers of the 1960's, especially actor Theodore Bikel (with whom Murray is actually acquainted; Bikel sings in even more languages than Murray does - and well.), the politically satiric Chad Mitchell Trio, and the Limelighters. From Bikel Murray learned how to act a song with his entirety, not just sing the words. From the Chad Mitchell Trio he learned how to skewer the radical left, reactionary right, and stationary middle. No target is safe - and everything is a target.... (Granted: stationary is easier to hit... but not so much fun....) From the Limelighters he learned certain works of Flanders and Swann... enough said.....

Some of Murray's more (in)famous works are Daddy's Little Boy, Ecumencial Hora, Damn Them!, Dark Mood Arising, and Kentucky Witch Trial Talking Blues, which he swears on a stack of grimoires is 95% true, but you know Murray....

And if you don't, you should.

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