Helen Bonchek Schneyer

“Helen was already the Grand Damme of the Washington DC folk set when I first got there in ’63, and never faltered ever after … wonderful lady, great singer.” – John Townley.

“Helen Schneyer was a folksinger and psychotherapist who spent much of her life living in and around Washington, D.C. On Ballads, Broadsides and Hymns, Schneyer sings a diverse selection of revival hymns, ballads, mining songs and more in her distinctive and powerful contra-alto voice. Though at times accompanied by fiddles or other voices, Ballads, Broadsides and Hymns gives the listener space to appreciate the nuance and depth of Schneyer’s unique singing.” – Smithsonian Folkways

Helen Bonchek Schneyer [January 10, 1921 – July 16, 2005] was an American folk musician. She was raised Jewish in New York City. While a student at Columbia University, she was introduced to American folk music. She also sang Baptist spirituals. Over a sixty-year career, Schneyer worked with such influential artists as Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie. – Wikipedia

[Washington Post Obituary]