Ruthann Friedman

Born in the Bronx, New York, Friedman spent her formative years in the San Fernando Valley, north of Los Angeles. She started playing guitar at the age of eight while listening to Woodie Guthrie, Pete Seeger and Josh White. Her first song gained her a spot on the television talent show Rocket to Stardom at age twelve. While at Ulysses S. Grant High School, she started playing Hoot nights at The Troubadour in West Hollywood, met the musicians Steve Mann and Hoyt Axton and became part of the growing musical scene of Los Angeles. Her first paid performance was at the Green Spider Coffee House in Denver, Colorado at the age of nineteen. Soon she was part of the Hippy Migration, traveling the California Coast and living off earnings from her performances. While staying in San Francisco, California, Friedman befriended the members of Jefferson Airplane. Her friendship with Van Dyke Parks not only influenced her deep commitment to music but also introduced her to The Association, who recorded her song Windy in 1967, which became one of the most performed and played songs of the 20th century (number 64). Three years later, Constant Companion, her first solo album, was released by A&M Records. She also wrote and sang the songs for the cult movie Peace Killers, released in 1971. In 2006, Water, a San Francisco label, reissued Constant Companion, renewing interest in Friedman's music and led to Water's release of a compilation of rare, previously unreleased and home recordings from 1965-1971, Hurried Life. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.