Alan Lomax (41)

Alan Lomax
1915-2002
Folklorist and ethnomusicologist
Cause of Death: Complications from stroke

Old Folk's Home: Lomax is celebrated for finding and recording Muddy Waters and promoting a long list of American folk legends including Leadbelly, Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger. Along with Harry Smith, whose folk recordings for the Smithsonian would become a touchstone for generations of serious folkies and eggheads, Lomax's work forms the spine of the recorded American folk legacy.
Life After Death: Lomax's estate got fat in recent years when his recordings were used on the soundtrack to O Brother, Where Art Thou? and sampled extensively on Moby's Play. The estate also has a rare reputation for diligence in tracking down descendants of performers to pay them royalties.
In the Vault: Lomax's catalogue of recordings is enormous, and Rounder Records has spent the last decade compiling and releasing nearly 100 CDs of his work, with plans for many more.
The Bad News: Lomax's reputation has been tarnished recently by allegations that he played down the contribution of his collaborators--particularly legendary African American scholar and musicologist John Work III--and that he stiffed Muddy Waters out of a promised $20 recording fee.