Moondog was a decades-long fixture in Manhattan streets, appearing in a modification of the dress he debuted in north-central Arkansas—homemade Viking chic. He used an army blanket as a tunic and had a horned helmet, staff, and long beard. Hardin lived on the street to finance his composing...
Hardin wrote the liner notes to Big Band, his first release on his own Trimba label in 1995. For the song “You Have to Have Hope,” he wrote: “Bill Clinton lived in Hope, I lived in Batesville, Arkansas. We never met. I heard he played the sax, for which I wrote the piece he hasn’t heard, as yet. ‘Back in Arkansas’ are words that fit a falling bit of melody. I’m harking back sixty years to Batesville Bess and all she did for me,” referring to his early Arkansas piano teacher, Bess Maxfield.
Yes, Moondog attended Arkansas College (Lyon) and professor Bess Maxfield taught him how to play piano. Louis was blind. After AC, he received a scholarship and went to Memphis, then New York City, then Germany. He was well-known as a musician for his jazz, classical, and rock compositions.
This information was taken from “The Encyclopedia of Arkansas, online” Our former librarian Gene Hyde also wrote one of the first articles about Moondog in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. See the citations below their photos.
Louis Thomas Hardin
Arkansas College Index
1937 Freshmen Class
Moondog, New York City
Obituary in New York Times: https://lyon.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/louis-moondog-hardin-83-musician-dies/docview/109932132/se-2?accountid=12202
Encyclopedia of Arkansas: https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/moondog-2774/
Story by Gene Hyde, Arkansas Democrat Gazette https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lyon.idm.oclc.org/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=WORLDNEWS&req_dat=F5330414D3684512A725D788749E7311&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F13D39A2EAEE74748
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