Bruce "Utah" Phillips was an American folk singer, IWW (Wobbly) organizer and self-described bum. He didn't believe in voting or too much government but did believe in taking personal responsibility and being involved in local issues that one person could actually have an effect on. He was also a story-teller without parallel as is showcased here in one of his more famous stories. Many of his songs and stories dealt with labor organizing, riding the rails as a hobo, bum or free person and the sheer unlikeliness of some of the jobs that exist out there that he himself had actually attempted at one time or another. Any discussion of the great progressive singers of the 20th century must include a discussion of Utah Phillips in the same breath as Ochs, Dylan, Paxton, Guthrie and Springsteen. He could be deadly serious when talking about his passion for justice for the down-trodden or silly and outrageous when discussing some of his own personal philosophies. You can learn about Gandy Dancing, The Mormon Muddy Mission and Spiro Agnew's library in just under six minutes here:
A look at his more serious side is found below
Utah discusses making a living in "off the radar"......
ok. He sings occasionally as well: