FRED NEIL

(1936 - 2001)
MUSIC ::: FOLKIES ::: ROUTE 1 PROJECT

Before "Everybody's Talkin'" became the unforgettable soundtrack to Midnight Cowboy, Fred Neil had already become one of American music's most influential ghosts. Revered more by musicians than the general public, he helped shape the Greenwich Village folk revival while remaining stubbornly indifferent to fame. Bob Dylan, David Crosby, Tim Buckley, Tim Hardin, Karen Dalton, Jerry Jeff Walker, Steve Goodman and countless others all passed through Neil's orbit

Neil's story stretches far beyond New York. He wrote songs in the Brill Building, recorded with Vince Martin, crossed paths with Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison, and created enduring standards including "Candy Man." Yet at the height of his success he gradually walked away from the music business, eventually settling in Coconut Grove, where his passion shifted from recording studios to protecting dolphins through the Dolphin Research Project.

That's where Route 1 finds him. You arrive in Miami expecting beaches, nightlife and neon, only to discover that Coconut Grove was once home to one of the quiet architects of the American folk revival. Fred Neil reminds us that some of the most influential people in American music were never interested in becoming stars themselves. They were content to leave the spotlight to everyone they inspired.