Lee Hays

Lee Elhardt Hays (March 14, 1914 – August 26, 1981) was an American folk singer and songwriter, best known for singing bass with the Weavers. Throughout his life, he was concerned with overcoming racism, inequality, and violence in society. He wrote or cowrote "Wasn't That a Time?", "If I Had a Hammer", and "Kisses Sweeter than Wine", which became Weavers' staples. He also familiarized audiences with songs of the 1930s labor movement, such as "We Shall Not Be Moved".

Birth and Death Data: Born March 14, 1914 (Little Rock), Died August 26, 1981 (Croton-on-Hudson)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1950 - 1961

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, guitar

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 51 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 76280 5/4/1950 Around the world The Weavers vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 76281 5/4/1950 Tzena, tzena, tzena The Weavers vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 76420 5/26/1950 Whispering Gordon Jenkins Orchestra vocalist  
Decca 76421 5/26/1950 Tzena, tzena, tzena Gordon Jenkins Orchestra vocalist  
Decca 76422 5/26/1950 Goodnight Irene Gordon Jenkins Orchestra vocalist  
Decca 76423 5/26/1950 When I grow too old to dream Gordon Jenkins Orchestra vocalist  
Decca 80077 10/24/1950 Lonesome traveler The Weavers vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 80078 10/24/1950 So long The Weavers vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 80127 11/3/1950 (The wreck of the) John B The Weavers vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 80128 11/3/1950 Midnight special The Weavers vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 80129 11/3/1950 The roving kind The Weavers vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 80130 11/3/1950 The drinking gourd The Weavers vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 80139 11/6/1950 Trouble in mind The Weavers vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 80140 11/6/1950 Along the Colorado trail The Weavers vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 80141 11/6/1950 Suliram The Weavers vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 80142 11/6/1950 I know where I'm going ; Hush little baby The Weavers vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 80845 4/9/1951 Along the Colorado trail The Weavers vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 80974 5/4/1951 The frozen logger The Weavers vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 80975 5/4/1951 Follow the drinking gourd The Weavers vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 80976 5/4/1951 Wake up, darling Cory (Darling Corey) The Weavers vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 80977 5/4/1951 Greensleeves The Weavers vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 80978 5/4/1951 Easy rider blues The Weavers vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 81070 5/9/1951 Greensleeves The Weavers vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 81178 6/12/1951 When the Saints go marching in The Weavers vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 81179 6/12/1951 Run home to Mama The Weavers vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
(Results 1-25 of 51 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Hays, Lee," accessed April 18, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/204366.

Hays, Lee. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 18, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/204366.

"Hays, Lee." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 18 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/204366

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