Original members included Pete Seeger (who called himself Pete Bowers at the time), Woody Guthrie, Lee Hays and Millard Lampell. During the groups early stages in New York, Burl Ives regularly joined the sessions.

At various times the group was joined by such other performers as Cisco Houston, Josh White, Bess Hawes, Butch Hawes and Earl Robinson. Part of the time, the Almanacs consisted only of Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie.

U.S. entry into the World War II resulted in the breakup of the Almanacs in 1942. The group didn't reform after the war, but some of the members continued to form The Weavers.