An Intimate Collection of Guthrie Items Goes on Display March 31

(Boston) Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame (FARHOF) will look at Arlo Guthrie’s life, from his childhood to his decade long career on the stage. Curated by the Museum Collective, “Arlo Guthrie: Ramblin’ Son” will feature never-before-displayed personal items including Arlo’s first guitar, original handwritten lyrics, early family photographs, and even Arlo’s white wedding suit and Jackie’s wedding dress. The exhibit will open to the public for tours on March 31, just one day before Arlo kicks off the What’s Left Of Me tour at the Boch Center Shubert Theatre on Saturday, April 1, 2023. What’s Left Of Me is a conversation with Arlo and Bob Santelli, Executive Director, Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music, featuring never-heard-before stories and wildly entertaining tales from Arlo’s life on the stage.

For over six decades, Arlo Guthrie has been known as a prolific songwriter, social commentator, master storyteller, actor, and activist. The son of Marjorie Mazia Guthrie, a professional dancer with the Martha Graham Company, and folk music icon Woody Guthrie, this road warrior was influenced by the grace of dance and the art of storytelling. As a child Arlo attended school and summer camp in the Berkshires, then continued to call the mountain region in Massachusetts his home, raising a family with his wife Jackie, and creating a chosen family at The Guthrie Center. 

The influence of his parents, friends, and his own life experiences inspired Arlo to ramble on his own path, sharing stories and songs of the people, while entertaining and educating audiences. 

“Arlo is a musical legend and a true storyteller that has brought joy to millions during his career,” said Joe Spaulding, President and CEO of the Boch Center. “This exhibit will show a deeply personal side of Arlo and take you through his entire life from grade school to the stage.”

Arlo Guthrie: Ramblin’ Son traces his roots and early life, his break-out hit “Alice’s Restaurant,” Arlo’s appearances at Woodstock, his early career on stage and on television, his later performances with his children on the Guthrie Family Tour, his philanthropic endeavors, and other pivotal stops along his musical road.
“Arlo Guthrie: Ramblin’ Son” will be one of six exhibits on display at the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame. Other exhibits include Life in Six Strings: Ernie Boch Jr. Guitar Exhibit which features electric and acoustic instruments, each with a notable history and impact on musicmaking across multiple decades and myriad genres, Boston: A Music Town, The Wang Theatre: A Century of Great Music; historic artifacts from David Bieber Archives and the Cultural Heroes sculptures on loan from Alan LeQuire Galleries in Nashville.

The Folk America Roots Hall of Fame is an education initiative of the Boch Center. These genres of music have historically provided an outlet for individuals of all races, classes and locations to express their joys and sorrows. Through exhibits, lectures, concerts, and more, Boston’s new cultural destination educates people of all ages about the important influence of these genres on all music today.

The Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame is located inside the Boch Center’s Wang Theatre at 270 Tremont St. Boston, Massachusetts and is open for tours. Tour tickets are $20 for adults and $12 for children. Guests can find the most up-to-date schedule and book tours at www.bochcenter.org/tours. For updates and to join the mailing list for news, announcements, and more visit www.FARHOF.org

Be sure to follow the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

About the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame:

In 2019, the Boch Center expanded its educational programming and launched the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame (FARHOF) which celebrates the lifeblood of America’s musical and cultural heritage. Folk music provides an outlet for individuals of all races and backgrounds to express their highest joys and deepest sorrows. 

The Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame is dedicated to honoring history, while also nurturing the next generation of Folk, Americana, and Roots musicians. By learning from the past, the Boch Center and the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame hope to influence meaningful conversations today. 

Housed in the Wang Theatre, the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame celebrates Folk, Americana and Roots music through displays, memorabilia, artifacts, events, lectures, exhibits and concerts.

About the Boch Center:

The Boch Center is one of the nation’s leading nonprofit performing arts institutions and a guardian of the historic Wang and Shubert Theatres. As New England’s largest cultural venue, the Boch Center is home to theater, classical and popular music, dance, comedy, opera, Broadway musicals, family entertainment, and more.

Located in Boston’s historic Theater District, the Boch Center also offers a diverse mix of educational, cultural and community outreach initiatives, including the City Spotlights Leadership Program and the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame; collaborates with artists and local nonprofit arts organizations; preserves historic venues; and acts as a champion for Greater Boston’s arts and cultural community. Learn more at bochcenter.org.

About the Museum Collective:

The Museum Collective is a consortium of music museum professionals that creates special exhibitions and programs for museums and cultural institutions around the country and Europe. The partners in the Collective have collaborated on a variety of exhibits over the past decade, including a recent exhibit Woody Guthrie: People Are the Song debuting in 2022 at the Morgan Library in New York City. As partners in the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame, the Museum Collective has curated and installed multiple exhibits within the historic Wang Theatre, featuring a variety of artists.