Utah Phillips

Bruce "Utah" Phillips (b. May 15, 1935 in Cleveland, Ohio) is an anarchist and labor organizer folk singer, storyteller, and poet. He describes the struggles of trade unions and the power of direct action. He often promotes the Industrial Workers of the World in his music, actions, and words.

Related Topics:
May 15 - 1935 - Cleveland, Ohio - Folk singer - Poet - Trade unions - Direct action - Industrial Workers of the World

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Utah Phillips' given name is Bruce Phillips. A fan of T. Texas Tyler, Phillips adopted the stage name U. Utah Phillips.

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Phillips served the United States Army for three years beginning in 1956 in the Korean War before returning to Salt Lake City, Utah and joining Ammon Hennacy from the Catholic Worker Movement in establishing a mission house of hospitality named after the activist Joe Hill. Phillips worked at the Joe Hill House for the next eight years, then ran for the U.S. Senate as a candidate of Utah's Peace and Freedom Party in 1968.

Related Topics:
United States Army - 1956 - Korean War - Salt Lake City, Utah - Ammon Hennacy - Catholic Worker Movement - Joe Hill - Joe Hill House - U.S. Senate - 1968

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An avid railfan, Phillips has recorded several albums of music related to the railroads, especially the era of steam locomotives. His first recorded album, Good Though!, is an example, and contains such songs as "Daddy, What's a Train?" and "Queen of the Rails" as well as "Moose Turd Pie" where he tells a story of his work as a gandy dancer repairing track in the American southwest desert.

Related Topics:
Railfan - Railroads - Gandy dancer - American southwest

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In 1991 Phillips recorded an album of song, poetry and short stories entitled I've Got To Know in one take, inspired by his anger at the first Gulf war. The album includes his first composition "Enola Gay" written about the United States' atomic attack on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Related Topics:
1991 - Gulf war

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Phillips was a mentor to Kate Wolf. He has recorded songs and stories with Rosalie Sorrels on a CD called The Long Memory (1996), originally a college project from Montana. Ani DiFranco has recorded two CDs, The Past Didn't Go Anywhere (1996) and Fellow Workers (1999), with him. He was nominated for a Grammy Award for his work with Ani DiFranco.

Related Topics:
Kate Wolf - Rosalie Sorrels - Montana - Ani DiFranco - Grammy Award

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Phillips hosts his own weekly radio show - Loafer's Glory: The Hobo Jungle of the Mind.

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