WAILUKU >> Virginia "Ginni" Clemmens, a songwriter active in the 1960s feminist movement in Chicago and the peace movement in Hawaii, will be remembered in a celebration honoring her life at 3 p.m. tomorrow at White Rock Beach in Palauea, Maui. VIRGINIA "GINNI" CLEMMENS / 1936-2003
Folk music songwriter
See more: Obituaries
once opened for DylanBy Gary T. Kubota
gkubota@starbulletin.com
Clemmens died in a two-vehicle crash on Maui on Feb. 15. She was 66.
COURTESY PHOTO BY MICHAELE REPPAS
Songwriter Virginia "Ginni" Clemmens was active in the 1960s feminist movement in Chicago and the peace movement in Hawaii. She died in a crash on Maui on Feb. 15.
Clemmens was part of a folk music movement in Chicago in the late 1950s and was a student at the Old Town School of Folk Music along with folk singers John Prine and Steve Goodman, who wrote "City of New Orleans."
"She was a part of that crowd and a huge family of folk music," said Jimmy Tomasello, manager of the school's guitar program.
Clemmens played as the opening act for folk singer Bob Dylan at Mother Blues nightclub in Chicago, he said.
Clemmens' songs, a mixture of folk and blues, appeared on seven albums and CDs, including her latest, "Underneath Hawaiian Skies."
One of her songs, "Volcano Mama," warns people not to mess with Mother Nature.
"Her songs always had protest element," said Maui entertainer Fulton Tashombe.
Born in 1936 in Davenport, Iowa, Clemmens is survived by sister Maxime Friday, brother Tim Friday, and nieces and nephews, all living in Illinois.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to ILC-Lambda Aloha, P.O. Box 790238, Paia, HI 96779.
For further information, call Kate Sample at 879-5842 or e-mail sample@hawaii.edu.
