Folk Legacy: Larry Penn Tribute Concert Set for November

A tribute concert honoring Milwaukee folk singer Larry Penn is scheduled for 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on November 8 at Anodyne Coffee Roasting, 224 W. Bruce St. The event marks the ninth annual gathering organized to commemorate the life and work of the Teamster and songwriter who died in 2014.

This year’s lineup includes performances by Lil Rev, Will Branch, Jim Ohlschmidt, Ed Ellis, Bob and Diana Suckiel, John Stano, and Joe Kudlada. Rev, a local musician and younger peer of Penn, has been a central figure in promoting the event.

Sharon Monahan, Penn’s daughter and co-organizer of the concert, describes the process of curating her father’s extensive archive. She is currently scanning CDs, photographs, videos, letters, and scrapbooks from his 87 years of life to upload to larrypenn.com. The site currently offers his CDs and digital music for purchase.

Monahan notes that Rev was a teenager when he discovered Penn’s music. "Rev is an accomplished musician but fell in love with traditional folk music," Monahan says. "In my dad’s later years when he had failing health, he was able to continue to perform with the help of Lil Rev."

Rev identifies Penn as his mentor and pledged to continue his musical legacy. Monahan credits Rev’s efforts as essential to the continued organization of the tribute concert.

Penn’s catalog spanned 10 albums, including 2012’s Around the Campfire, recorded with Rev. His songs addressed organized labor, minimum-wage work, pollution, and family. Titles such as "Tommy the Dishwasher" and "Plastic in the Trees" reflected his focus on social issues. His whimsical number "I’m a Little Cookie" was recorded by Pete Seeger at Carnegie Hall and later served as the theme song for a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation children’s show.

The singer toured festivals worldwide, reaching as far as Russia. His music drew from the history of railroads, hobos, and workers. Monahan explains that Penn became involved in the 1960s social justice movement, which evolved into a lifelong fight for labor unions and workers’ rights.

"He was passionate about workers making a living wage, especially when corporations were making bank on the ‘sweat of the brow’ of the workers," Monahan says. She adds that Penn stood up for the marginalized and was angered by injustice.

Monahan is also working on a special project to document Penn’s talents and interests. She describes his songs as timeless stories of history, labor, and love that remain relevant to listeners today.