Sunday, March 25, 2012

Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune

Although he never achieved the iconic status or widespread acclaim of Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs was an anti-war folk singer who brought his tangible message to the people through his indelible lyrics. "There But for Fortune" follows Ochs' career in the folk scene and peace movement, through a benefit he threw for Salvador Allende that brought attention to the Pinochet atrocities in Chile, up until the unfortunate, destructive latter years of his life which were marred by addiction and mental illness up until his eventual suicide. With interviews with friends and family, "There But for Fortune" tells the story of a powerful yet tragic voice who is sadly unknown among my generation.