Fred Gerlach
Fred Gerlach (August 26, 1925 – December 31, 2009) was an American folk musician and luthier. Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page credited his recording of the traditional song "Gallows Pole" with inspiring his own band's version. Career In the early 1950s he sang in the Jewish Young Folksingers chorus conducted by Robert De Cormier. Gerlach was among the first folk artists to adopt the 12 string guitar as his medium. A friend of fellow folk musicians Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, his first album was even called Twelve-String Guitar. Its flagship song, "Gallows Pole", was heard and covered by Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, saying: I first heard it ('Gallows Pole') on an old Folkways LP by Fred Gerlach, a 12-string player who was, I believe, the first white to play the instrument. I used his version as a basis and completely changed the arrangement Gerlach was inspired to adopt the 12 string by his mentor and one-time roommate Lead Belly, a blues guitarist famous for using the instrument. At the time Gerlach became interested in the instrument, it was almost unknown. He later related: I went into one of the largest musical instrument stores in the