Moondog
Sign in to saveLouis Thomas Hardin (May 26, 1916 – September 8, 1999), known professionally as Moondog, was an American composer, musician, performer, music theoretician, poet and inventor of musical instruments. Largely self-taught as a composer, his prolific work widely drew inspiration from jazz, classical, Native American music which he had become familiar with as a child, and Latin American music. His strongly rhythmic, contrapuntal pieces and arrangements later influenced composers of minimal music, in particular American composers Steve Reich and Philip Glass.
Person · Open Library
- Born
- 1916
- Died
- 1999
- Works
- 1
Top works
- Moondog yearbook I.
via Open Library + Wikidata
Listeners · Last.fm
- Listeners
- 380,595
- Total plays
- 6,622,658
Tags
Avant-GardeexperimentaljazzminimalistClassical
There are 3 artists with this name, 1. Experimental artist Louis Hardin, 2. A project of Walter Schreifels, 3. A short lived band fronted by James Freud formerly of Models. 1) Moondog was the pseudonym of Louis T. Hardin (May 26, 1916 – September 8, 1999). Hardin was a blind New York City street musician, influential composer and former beat poet. From the late 1940s until 1974, he was a permanent fixture on 54th Street and 6th Avenue in Manhattan <a href="https://www.last.fm/music/Moondog">Rea
Key facts
- Musical artist.name
- Moondog
- Musical artist.image
- Moondog 1948.jpg
- Musical artist.image_upright
- 0.5
- Musical artist.background
- composer
- Musical artist.caption
- Moondog in 1948
- Musical artist.birth_name
- Louis Thomas Hardin
- Musical artist.birth_place
- Marysville, Kansas, U.S.
- Musical artist.death_place
- Münster, Germany
- Musical artist.years_active
- 1932–1999
via Wikipedia infobox
Key dates
- Born
- 26 May 1916
- Died
- 8 September 1999
via Wikidata · CC0
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- human
- Given name
- Thomas
- Gender
- male
- Citizenship
- United States
- Place of birth
- Marysville
- Place of death
- Münster
- Occupation
- musician
- Languages spoken
- English language
- Genre
- outsider music
- Instrument
- drum
Article
21 sectionsContents
- Biography and career
- Early life
- New York City
- Germany
- Music
- Inventions
- Legacy
- Personal life
- Discography
- Singles
- EPs
- Albums
- With Julie Andrews and Martyn Green
- Compilations
- Various artist compilations
- Performed by other musicians
- References
- Further reading
- Articles
- Books
- External links
Louis Thomas Hardin (May 26, 1916 – September 8, 1999), known professionally as Moondog, was an American composer, musician, performer, music theoretician, poet and inventor of musical instruments. Largely self-taught as a composer, his prolific work widely drew inspiration from jazz, classical, Native American music which he had become familiar with as a child, and Latin American music. His strongly rhythmic, contrapuntal pieces and arrangements later influenced composers of minimal music, in particular American composers Steve Reich and Philip Glass.
Due to an accident, Moondog was blind from the age of 16. He lived in a small apartment on 44th Street in New York City from the late 1940s until 1972, during which time he was often found on Sixth Avenue, between 52nd and 55th Streets, selling records, composing, and performing poetry. According to the New York Times, he made most of his living begging. He briefly appeared in a cloak and horned helmet during the 1960s and was hence recognized as "the Viking of Sixth Avenue" by passersby and residents who were not aware of his musical career.
Gallery (4)
Connections
Categories
1916 births1999 deaths20th-century American inventors20th-century American jazz composers20th-century American male composers20th-century American poetsAdherents of Germanic neopaganismAmerican avant-garde musiciansAmerican blind poetsAmerican blind singersAmerican expatriates in GermanyAmerican expatriates in West Germany