The Vanished Pioneer of Folk Music

Connie Converse was arguably the first true American singer-songwriter, yet she went completely unnoticed in the 1950s. She eventually left her entire life behind and vanished without a trace in 1974.

Decades before the genre became famous, Converse was already writing intimate, poetic songs in New York. Despite her immense talent, she never achieved fame and eventually grew disillusioned with her creative life. After writing letters to her family explaining her need to start over, she drove away and was never seen again. Her haunting music was only discovered by the public long after she disappeared.