Rosalie Sorrels Papers, 1950-2017

Idaho's Matriarch of Folk Music, Rosalie Sorrels, was born in Boise on June 24, 1933. She spent six decades collecting traditional songs, writing her own, performing them live at venues as large as the Newport Folk Festival and as small as her own backyard. Along the way she amassed volumes of friends and stories about life on the road. Though she crisscrossed the country countless times during her career, her heart never strayed too far from the Gem State and the log home her father built on Grimes Creek near Idaho City.

Single mother of five, travelin' lady, activist, storyteller, ethnographer, historian, and friend to many, Rosalie's resume was long and illustrious. Counted among her close friends were Hunter S. Thompson, Pete Seeger, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Ken Kesey, Wavy Gravy, Malvina Reynolds, Robert Creeley, Studs Terkel, Gino Sky, and Joan Baez. She helped revive the career of songwriter and labor activist Bruce "Utah" Phillips, a lifelong friend. Her own activism included women's rights, prison reform, and the environment.

Rosalie Sorrels died June 11, 2017.