John Jacob Niles (Poet/Librettist/Composer)

John Jacob Niles was a collector of traditional ballads and folk songs.  He was born April 28, 1892 and died March 1, 1980.  This southern born composer was a huge advocate for the American Folk Music Revival in the 50's and 60's.   He served in the U.S Army Air Corps during World War I and studied music in France.  Later, he returned to the U.S. to finish his degree at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. During the early part of his career, Niles sang opera and folk music over the radio and toured with Contralto, Marion Kerby.  Later in his career, he published music both Folk and Classical.