Moondog

Moondog
Moondog in 1948
Background information
Birth name	Louis Thomas Hardin
Born	(1916-05-26)May 26, 1916 Marysville, Kansas, U.S.
Died	September 8, 1999(1999-09-08) (aged 83) Münster, Germany
Genres	Classical avant-garde jazz
Occupation(s)	Composer musician instrument maker
Instrument(s)	Percussion vocals keyboards
Years active	1932–1999
Labels	SMC Epic Moondog Prestige Columbia Kopf

Louis Thomas Hardin (May 26, 1916 – September 8, 1999), known professionally as Moondog, was an American composer, musician, performer, music theoretician, poet and inventor of musical instruments. Largely self-taught as a composer, his prolific work widely drew inspiration from jazz, classical, Native American music which he had become familiar with as a child,^[1] and Latin American music.^[2] His strongly rhythmic, contrapuntal pieces and arrangements later influenced composers of minimal music, in particular American composers Steve Reich and Philip Glass.

Due to an accident, Moondog was blind from the age of 16. He lived in New York City from the late 1940s until 1972, during which time he was often found on Sixth Avenue, between 52nd and 55th Streets, selling records, composing, and performing poetry. He briefly appeared in a cloak and horned helmet during the 1960s and was hence recognized as "the Viking of Sixth Avenue" by passersby and residents who were not aware of his musical career.^[3]