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A photo of Louis Thomas "Moondog" Hardin

Louis Thomas "Moondog" Hardin 1916 - 1999

Louis Thomas Hardin was born on May 26, 1916 in Marysville, Marshall County, Kansas United States, and died at age 83 years old on September 8, 1999 in Münster, Münster County, NRW Germany. Louis Hardin was buried at Munster Germany.. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Louis Thomas "Moondog" Hardin .

Louis Thomas Hardin

May 26, 1916

Marysville, Marshall County, Kansas, 66508, United States

September 8, 1999

Münster, Münster County, NRW, Germany

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Louis Thomas "Moondog" Hardin Louis Hardin (1916 - 1999)

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Louis Thomas Hardin's History: 1916 - 1999

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Introduction

He was my friend and he inspired me to become a composer even though I don't play an instrument, and can barely read music. I compose vocally. I write a beautiful melody that I wed to a carefully crafted lyric. When I first create a melody, I do not record it because if it is not memorable, then it is not worthy of remembering.
05/26

1916

Birthday

May 26, 1916

Birthdate

Marysville, Marshall County, Kansas 66508, United States

Birthplace

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Professional Career

Composer. He also sold a 100-year calendar which I own and has been useful.
09/8

1999

Death

September 8, 1999

Death date

Heart failure.

Cause of death

Münster, Münster County, NRW Germany
Death location

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Gravesite & Burial

mm/dd/yyyy
Funeral date
Munster Germany.
Burial location
Obituary

Moondog (born Louis Thomas Hardin; May 26, 1916 – September 8, 1999) was an American musician, composer, theoretician, poet, and inventor of several musical instruments. He was blind from the age of 17. Moondog lived in New York from the late 1940s until 1972, and during this time he could often be found on 6th Avenue, between 52nd and 55th Streets, wearing a cloak and a horned helmet sometimes busking or selling music, but often just standing silently on the sidewalk. He was widely recognized as "the Viking of 6th Avenue" by thousands of passersby and residents who weren't aware of his musical career. Early life Born to an Episcopalian family in Marysville, Kansas, Hardin started playing a set of drums that he made from a cardboard box at the age of five. His family relocated to Wyoming and his father opened a trading post at Fort Bridger. He attended school in a couple of small towns. At one point, his father took him to an Arapaho Sun Dance where he sat on the lap of Chief Yellow Calf and played a tom-tom made from buffalo skin. Hardin played drums for the high school band in Hurley, Missouri before losing his sight in a farm accident involving a dynamite cap at the age of 17. After learning the principles of music in several schools for blind young men across middle America, he taught himself the skills of ear training and composition. He studied with Burnet Tuthill and at the Iowa School for the Blind. He then moved to Batesville, Arkansas where he lived until 1942, when he got a scholarship to study in Memphis, Tennessee. Although the majority of his musical training was self-taught by ear, he learned some music theory from books in braille there. In 1943 Hardin moved to New York, where he met noted classical music luminaries such as Leonard Bernstein and Arturo Toscanini, as well as legendary jazz performer-composers such as Charlie Parker and Benny Goodman, whose upbeat tempos and often humorous compositions, would influence Hardin's later work. One of his early street posts was near the famed 52nd Street nightclub strip, and he was well-known to many jazz musicians and fans. By 1947 Hardin had adopted the name "Moondog" in honor of a dog "who used to howl at the moon more than any dog I knew of." New York From the late 1940s until 1972, Moondog lived as a street musician and poet in New York City, playing in midtown Manhattan, eventually settling on the corner of 53rd or 54th Street and 6th Avenue in Manhattan. He was not homeless, however, or at least not often: he maintained an apartment in upper Manhattan and had a country retreat in Candor, NY, to which he moved in 1972. He partially supported himself by selling copies of his poetry and his musical philosophy. In addition to his music and poetry, he was also known for the distinctive fanciful "Viking" cloak that he wore. Already bearded and long-haired, he added a Viking-style horned helmet to avoid the occasional comparisons of his appearance with that of Christ or a monk, as he had rejected Christianity in his late teens. He developed a lifelong interest in Nordic mythology and maintained an altar to Thor in his country home in Candor. In 1949 he traveled to a Blackfoot Sun Dance in Idaho where he performed on percussion and flute, returning to the Native American music he first came in contact with as a child. It was this Native music, along with contemporary jazz and classical, mixed with the ambient sounds from his environment (city traffic, ocean waves, babies crying, etc.) that created the foundation of Moondog's music. In 1954, he won a case in the New York State Supreme Court against disc jockey Alan Freed, who had branded his radio show, "The Moondog Rock and Roll Matinee", around the name "Moondog", using "Moondog's Symphony" (the first record that Moondog ever cut) as his "calling card". Moondog believed he would not have won the case had it not been for the help of musicians such as Benny Goodman and Arturo Toscanini, who testified that he was a serious composer. Freed had to apologize and stop using the nickname "Moondog" on-air, on the basis that Hardin was known by the name long before Freed began using it. Germany Moondog tomb at the Central Cemetery in Münster, designed by Ernst Fuchs after the death mask. Along with his passion for Nordic culture, Moondog had an idealized view of Germany ("The Holy Land with the Holy River"—the Rhine), where he settled in 1974. Eventually, a young German student named Ilona Sommer helped Moondog set up the primary holding company for his artistic endeavors and hosted him, first in Oer-Erkenschwick, and later on in Münster in Westphalia, Germany. Moondog lived with the family of Ilona Sommer and they spent time together in Münster. During that period Moondog created hundreds of compositions which were transferred from Braille to sheet music by Ilona Sommer. Moondog spent the remainder of his life in Germany. On 8 September 1999, he died in Münster from heart failure. He is buried at the Central Cemetery Münster. His tomb was designed by the artist Ernst Fuchs after the death mask. Moondog revisited America briefly in 1989, for a tribute in which Philip Glass asked him to conduct the Brooklyn Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, at the New Music America Festival in Brooklyn, stimulating a renewed interest in his music. Music Moondog's work was early championed by Artur Rodziński, the conductor of the New York Philharmonic in the 1940s. He released a number of 78"s, 45"s and EPs of his music in the 1950s, as well as several LPs on a number of notable jazz labels, including an unusual record of stories and songs for children with Julie Andrews and Martyn Green, in 1957, called Songs of Sense and Nonsense - Tell it Again. For ten years no new recordings were heard from Moondog until producer James William Guercio took him into the studio to record an album for Columbia Records in 1969. Most of Moondog's works are published by Managarm Musikverlag in Germany. By his last will, the heritage of Moondog was administered and owned by Ilona Sommer, who died in September 2011. In her will, she appointed the German lawyer Alexander Duve (Berlin, Germany) as the executor of her estate including the copyrights in Moondog's works, so he now administers Moondog's heritage. The music of Moondog of the 1940s and 50s is said to have been a strong influence on many early minimalist composers. Philip Glass has written that he and Steve Reich took Moondog's work "very seriously and understood and appreciated it much more than what we were exposed to at Juilliard." In July 1956 the British jazz composer and musician Kenny Graham recorded the album 'Moondog and Suncat Suites' with a thirteen-piece band featuring such notable performers as Stan Tracey and Phil Seamen. 'Moondog' featured Graham's arrangements of ten Moondog compositions, whereas 'Suncat Suite' consisted of a sequence of six of Graham's own compositions inspired by Moondog. HMV issued the original vinyl album in 1957, and Trunk Records reissued it on CD in 2010. Moondog inspired other musicians with several songs dedicated to him. These include "Moondog" on Pentangle's 1968 album Sweet Child and "Spear for Moondog" (parts I and II) by jazz organist Jimmy McGriff on his 1968 Electric Funk album. Glam rock icon Marc Bolan and T. Rex made reference to him in the song "Rabbit Fighter" with the line, "Moondog's just a prophet to the end.....". The English pop group Prefab Sprout included the song "Moondog" on their album Jordan: The Comeback released in 1990. Big Brother and the Holding Company featuring Janis Joplin covered his song "All Is Loneliness" on their 1967 self-titled album. The song was also covered by Antony and the Johnsons during their 2005 tour. Mr. Scruff's single "Get a Move On," from his album Keep It Unreal, is structured around samples from "Bird's Lament." New York band The Insect Trust plays a cover of Moondog's song "Be a Hobo" on their album Hoboken Saturday Night. The track "Stamping Ground", with its odd preamble of Moondog reciting one of his epigrams, was featured on the sampler double album Fill Your Head with Rock (CBS, 1970). Canadian composer and producer Daniel Lanois included a track called "Moondog" on his album/video documentary Here Is What Is. Between 1970 and 1980 a blind bearded mystic called "Moondog" appeared as the title character in a four-issue series of Underground comix written and illustrated by George Metzger. A documentary about his life, "The Viking of 6th Avenue", is in production for release in 2017.

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5 Memories, Stories & Photos about Louis

Amanda S. Stevenson

16.8k+ favorites

07/30/2017

Louis Thomas Hardin

A photo of Louis Thomas Hardin - "Moondog"

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

Comments

Daniel Pinna

9.25k+ favorites

11/12/2021

Woah! He made a 100 year calendar???! I gotta see that...

I went to youtube and just listened to Bird's Lament - what a talented man!!

Favorite (1)

Amanda S. Stevenson

16.8k+ favorites

07/30/2017

Louis Thomas "Moondog" Hardin

A photo of Louis Thomas Hardin - "Moondog" - who said, "You don't have to play an instrument to be a composer." That's how I became a composer!

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

Comments

Amanda S. Stevenson

16.8k+ favorites

07/30/2017

Louis Thomas Hardin, Manhattan

A photo of Louis Thomas Hardin "Moondog" on Sixth Avenue in Manhattan - he liked to be near the WARWICK HOTEL. He created the 100 year calendar.

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

Comments

Amanda S. Stevenson

16.8k+ favorites

07/30/2017

Louis Thomas Hardin

A photo of Louis Thomas Hardin

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

Comments

Amanda S. Stevenson

16.8k+ favorites

07/30/2017

Discography
Singles
"Snaketime Rhythms (5 Beat) / Snaketime Rhythms (7 Beat)" (1949), SMC
"Moondog's Symphony" (1949–1950), SMC
"Organ Rounds" (1949–1950), SMC
"Oboe Rounds" (1949–1950), SMC
"Surf Session" (c. 1953), SMC
"Caribea Sextet"/"Oo Debut" (1956), Moondog Records
"Stamping Ground Theme" (from the Kralingen Music Festival) (1970), CBS
EPs[edit]
1953 Improvisations at a Jazz Concert, Brunswick
1953 Moondog on the Streets of New York, Decca/Mars
1953 Pastoral Suite / Surf Session, SMC
1955 Moondog & His Honking Geese Playing Moondog's Music, Moondog Records
Albums[edit]
1953 Moondog and His Friends, Epic
1956 Moondog, Prestige
1956 More Moondog, Prestige
1957 The Story of Moondog, Prestige
1969 Moondog (not the same as the 1956 LP), Columbia
1971 Moondog 2, Columbia (with insert: Round the World of Sound: Moondog Madrigals with scores)
1977 Moondog in Europe, Kopf
1978 H'art Songs, Kopf
1978 Moondog: Instrumental Music by Louis Hardin, Musical Heritage Society
1979 A New Sound of an Old Instrument, Kopf
1981 Facets, Managarm
1986 Bracelli, Kakaphone
1992 Elpmas, Kopf
1994 Sax Pax for a Sax with the London Saxophonic, Kopf/Atlantic
1995 Big Band, Trimba
2005 Bracelli und Moondog, Laska Records
With Julie Andrews and Martyn Green[edit]
1957 Songs of Sense and Nonsense - Tell it Again, Angel/Capitol
Compilations[edit]
1991 More Moondog/The Story of Moondog, Original Jazz Classics
2001 Moondog/Moondog 2, Beat Goes On
2004 The Viking Of Sixth Avenue, Honest Jon's
2005 The German Years 1977–1999, ROOF Music
2005 Un hommage à Moondog tribute album, trAce label
2006 Rare Material, ROOF Music
2007 The Viking Of 6th Avenue (disc inside biographical book), Process (ISBN 978-0-9760822-8-6)
Various artist compilations[edit]
1954 New York 19 (recorded and edited by Tony Schwartz), Folkways
1954 Music in the Streets (recorded and edited by Tony Schwartz), Folkways
1958 Rosey 4 Blocks (arrangement by Andy Forsythe), Rosey
1970 Fill Your Head With Rock, CBS
1998 The Big Lebowski motion picture soundtrack, Mercury
2000 Miniatures 2, Cherry Red
2006 DJ-Kicks: Henrik Schwarz, K7 Records
2006 The Trip: Curated By Jarvis Cocker and Steve Mackey, Disc 1 Track 19: "Pastoral"
2008 Pineapple Express Motion Picture Sound Track, Track 9 "Birds Lament," Moondog & The London Saxophonic.
Performed by other musicians[edit]
1957 Moondog and Suncat Suite by British jazz musician Kenny Graham features one side of interpretations of the work of Moondog
1967 "All Is Loneliness" by Big Brother and the Holding Company, featuring Janis Joplin, on their self-titled first album
1968 "Moon Dog" by Pentangle on Sweet Child
1968 "Spear for Moondog (parts 1 and 2)" by jazz organist Jimmy McGriff on Electric Funk
1970 "Be a Hobo" by The Insect Trust on Hoboken Saturday Night
1978 Canons on the Keys by Paul Jordan, unreleased
1985 "Theme and Variations" performed by John Fahey on the album Rain Forests, Oceans and Other Themes[14]
1990 Lovechild Plays Moondog, EP, Forced Exposure
1990 "Moondog" by Prefab Sprout on Jordan: The Comeback
1993 "All is Loneliness" by Motorpsycho on Demon Box (album) and Roadwork Vol. 4: Intrepid Skronk
1995 Alphorn of Plenty by Hans Kennel, Hat Art
1997 "Synchrony Nr. 2" by Kronos Quartet
1998 Trees Against the Sky compilation album, SHI-RA-Nui 360°
1998 "Paris" by NRBQ, live, on You Gotta Be Loose and NRBQ: High Noon - A 50-Year Retrospective
1999 "Get a Move On" (remix of "Bird's Lament (In Memory of Charlie Parker)") by Mr. Scruff on Keep It Unreal
2005 "All Is Loneliness" by Antony and the Johnsons, live
2005 "Sidewalk Dances" by Joanna MacGregor & Britten Sinfonia, Sound Circus SC010
2006 "Moondog Sharp Harp" by Xenia Narati, Ars Musici
2007 "Paris" by Jens Lekman, live
2009 "Rabbit Hop" by Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
2009 "New Amsterdam" by Pink Martini on Splendor in the Grass
2010 "The Orastorios - Moondog rounds" by Stefan Lakatos/Andreas Heuser, Makro
2011 "Making Moonshine - Moondog Songs by Moondog Fans" by Various Artists, SL Records
2016 "A Tribute To Moondog by Condor Gruppe (2016) on Condor Men Records – Format: Vinyl, LP, Mini-Album

Comments

Daniel Pinna

9.25k+ favorites

11/12/2021

I feel so silly I never knew of this man. Thank you Amanda for bringing him to my attention!!

For anyone like me who isn't familiar with his work, checkout youtube and a number of his songs are available.

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Louis Hardin's Family Tree & Friends

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Louis Thomas "Moondog" Hardin May 26, 1916 - Sep 8, 1999

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Other Biographies

Other Louis Hardin Biographies

Hardin, Louis (Born circa 1922) Hardin, Louis (Born circa 1921) Hardin, Louis (Born circa 1973) Hardin, Louis (Born circa 1948) Hardin, Louis (Born circa 1949) Hardin, Louis (Born circa 1912) Hardin, Louis (Born circa 1961) Hardin, Louis (May 20, 1901 - May 1974) Hardin, Louis (Apr 12, 1895 - Apr 1966) Hardin, Louis (Dec 29, 1886 - May 1963)

Hardin, Louis (Nov 5, 1910 - Sep 1983) Hardin, Louis (Oct 26, 1933 - Sep 21, 2010) Hardin, Louis (Aug 3, 1891 - Mar 1985) Hardin, Louis (Jul 24, 1926 - Nov 5, 2004) Hardin, Louis (Oct 20, 1922 - Jun 4, 1976) Hardin, Louis (Jun 6, 1911 - Mar 1987) Hardin, Louis (Oct 1, 1922 - Jan 6, 2010) Hardin, Louis (Sep 30, 1921 - Nov 6, 1991) Hardin, Louis (Dec 20, 1916 - Dec 6, 2009) Hardin, Louis (Jul 25, 1893 - Oct 1975)

Other Hardin Family Biographies

Szabo-Hardin, Nadine (Born Nov 14, 1939) Hardin, Nadine (Born Nov 14, 1939) Hardin, Benjamin (Born 1876) Hardin, Maggie Ella (Born 1877) Hardin, Helena (Born Dec 7, 1894) Hardin, Harry Hardin, Erma (Born Dec 19, 1911) Hardin, John (Born Apr 10, 1882) Hardin, Sarah (Born 1839) Hardin, Jeffrey (Sep 4, 1948 - Apr 17, 2009)

Hardin, Joshua (Jul 13, 1983 - Mar 25, 2004) Hardin, Kathleen (May 5, 1917 - Jan 6, 2008) Hardin, Estelle (Sep 30, 1916 - Jul 4, 1995) Hardin, Ann (Sep 28, 1927 - Feb 26, 1998) Hardin, Varner (Jun 8, 1946 - Nov 1976) Hardin, Gladis (Oct 14, 1907 - Oct 1989) Hardin, William (Dec 29, 1882 - Nov 1969) Hardin, Atwood (Nov 14, 1913 - Dec 1977) Hardin, Thomas (Apr 2, 1953 - Feb 14, 2009) Hardin, Mildred (Apr 26, 1914 - Jul 3, 2004)

About the AncientFaces Community

Louis Thomas "Moondog" Hardin 1916 - 1999

Louis Thomas Hardin's History: 1916 - 1999

Introduction

Birthday

Professional Career

Death

Gravesite & Burial

Obituary

5 Memories, Stories & Photos about Louis

Louis Hardin's Family Tree & Friends

Louis Hardin's Family Tree

Louis' Friends

Other Louis Hardin Biographies

Other Hardin Family Biographies