Country Joe McDonald
Country Joe McDonald | |
|---|---|
McDonald performing at Parr Meadows in 1979 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Country Joe |
| Born | Joseph Allen McDonald January 1, 1942 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Died | March 7, 2026 (aged 84) Berkeley, California, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupations | Singer, songwriter, musician, political activist |
| Instruments | Vocals, acoustic guitar |
| Years active | 1959–2026 |
| Labels |
|
Spouses | Kathe Werum
(m. 1963; div. 1966)Robin Menken
(m. 1968, divorced)
|
| Website | countryjoe |
Joseph Allen "Country Joe" McDonald (January 1, 1942 – March 7, 2026) was an American singer, songwriter, musician and film composer, who was the lead singer and co-founder of the 1960s psychedelic folk-rock group Country Joe and the Fish. He wrote some of the group's most well-known songs, including "Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine" and "I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Rag", the latter a protest song against U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.
After the group's breakup in 1971, McDonald performed as a solo artist and in the spirit of Woody Guthrie, continued to musically espouse his political views through his original songs.