Frances Hope Wainwright (September 2, 1921 – January 6, 2025) was an American folk singer who performed with such artists as

Pete Seeger Peter Seeger (May 3, 1919 – January 27, 2014) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and social activist. He was a fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s and had a string of hit records in the early 1950s as a member of The Weav ...

Paul Robeson Paul Leroy Robeson ( ; April 9, 1898 – January 23, 1976) was an American bass-baritone concert artist, actor, professional American football, football player, and activist who became famous both for his cultural accomplishments and for h ...

, and

The Weavers The Weavers were an American folk music quartet based in the Greenwich Village area of New York City originally consisting of Lee Hays, Pete Seeger, Ronnie Gilbert, and Fred Hellerman. Founded in 1948, the group sang traditional folk songs from ...

(where she was once described as the "fifth" Weaver). Red Hope? The Blacklisting of Hope Foye Documentary, 2011, ‘Permanent Productions’, Soundtrack of the film, 2011, permproductions.com

Life and career

Foye was born on September 2, 1921. She performed in

Bob Fosse Robert Louis Fosse (; June 23, 1927 – September 23, 1987) was an American choreographer, dancer, filmmaker, and stage director. Known for his work on stage and screen, he is arguably the most influential figure in the field of jazz dance in th ...

's first musical, ''Dance Me a Song'', in which she premiered the song "

Lilac Wine "Lilac Wine" is a song written by James Shelton (lyrics and music) for the 1950 musical ''Dance Me a Song''. Lyrics The lyrics form a narrative of heartache at losing a lover and taking solace from wine made from a lilac tree. The song focuses ...

." Foye suffered under the McCarran Committee and as a result left the United States for a career in Mexico and Europe. She died on January 6, 2025, at the age of 103.Hope Foye, Trailblazing ‘People’s Artist’ and Civil Rights Pioneer, Passes Away at 103 (Sept. 2, 1921 – Jan. 6, 2025)
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References

External Links

* * 1921 births 2025 deaths 20th-century American women singers American women centenarians American women folk singers {{US-folk-singer-stub African-American centenarians 20th-century African-American women singers