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American folk singer and icon of the 1960s, Arlo Davy Guthrie is the oldest son of Woody Guthrie, a pioneering folk singer and writer. Even after his father was diagnosed with Huntington's disease, which forced him to be permanently hospitalized in 1954, Arlo remain immersed in his father's world. Many of Woody's close friends, including Pete Seeger, Cisco Houston and Leadbelly, played an important role in Arlo's life and career.
By the mid-1960s, Arlo Guthrie was a fixture in the American folk scene. His famous father's legacy no doubt helped him, but Arlo quickly proved his own talent as he performed with a slew of famous musicians, including Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Doc Watson and Bill Monroe.
During his shows, Arlo started telling a story based on events in his own life about a littering incident and being rejected by the draft board. After turning the story into an 18-minute song, he performed it to great success at the 1967 Newport Folk Festival. Soon after, Arlo inked a deal with Warner Brothers and released the album Alice's Restaurant in September 1967, just weeks after Woody Guthrie's death.
The album, which featured Arlo's famous tale "Alice's Restaurant Massacree," cemented his status as a star and icon of the 1960s counterculture scene. In 1969, Arlo starred in the film version of "Alice's Restaurant."
In the aftermath of his debut album, Arlo's star hardly faded. A second LP, simply called Arlo, debuted in late 1968, and a third LP, Running Down the Road, was released in 1969. That same year, Arlo played at the Woodstock Festival, performing "Coming into Los Angeles," which was featured prominently in the 1970 releases of the Woodstock movie and soundtrack. In 1972, Arlo recorded what proved to be a popular version of the song "The City of New Orleans."
While Arlo's popularity peaked in the late 1960s and early 1970s, he has continued a busy recording and performing career. His work has included a mix of original material and covers. He has also toured extensively with his father's old friend, Pete Seeger. In 1983, Arlo created his own recording label, Rising Son Records.
Outside the music studio, Arlo has done some occasional acting work, appearing in the ABC series "Byrds of Paradise" as well as the USA Network series "Renegade." In 1991, Arlo purchased Trinity Church in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, the setting for the "Alice's Restaurant" story. The church is now home to the Guthrie Center, which provides a range of local and international social services, from HIV outreach to a meditation center.
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