Hazel Dickens

American bluegrass, country songwriter, singer, guitar and bass player.

Born June 1, 1935 in Mercer County, West Virginia, USA. Died April 22, 2011 in Washington, DC.

From the late 1950s, Dickens was playing bass and guitar with the likes of Mike Seeger, Alice Gerrard, David Grisman, Ralph Rinzler, John Herald, Lamar Grier, and Bob Yellin. As well as touring and recording with Hazel Dickens And Alice Gerrard and the Strange Creek Singers, Dickens recorded three solo albums on the Rounder label. Her work has also been featured in several motion pictures, including Harlan County USA - Songs Of The Coal Miner's Struggle, Matewan (Original Soundtrack), and Songcatcher (Music From And Inspired By The Motion Picture).

Her raw, heartfelt songs about coal miners and the life of the downtrodden made her a revered figure in the music industry. In 1998, she received her Honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Shepherd College, Shepherdstown, WV. In 2001, Dickens received a National Heritage Award, presented by the National Endowment for the Arts.