Born in Rochester, New York on August 31, 1938, ‘Spider’ John Koerner was a folk / blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist who is best known as being a member of folk and blues trio Koerner, Ray & Glover and as an early mentor for folk and rock icon Bob Dylan. While studying for an aeronautical engineering degree at the University of Minnesota, he began learning to play the guitar. He left college and traveled the US, eventually landing in Southern California and enlisting in the Marines. After being injured in a serious car accident, he left the military and soon discovered the local folk music scene. John Koerner then returned to Minnesota and infiltrated the Minneapolis folk music scene of the early 1960s. It was there that he met a young singer-songwriter by the name of Bob Dylan (real name: Robert Zimmerman). ‘Spider’ John Koerner taught folk and blues songs to Dylan and they performed frequently together as well as doing shows on their own. The elder singer-songwriter formed a trio with Dave Ray and Tony Glover. In 1963, Koerner, Ray & Glover released their debut album, Blues, Rags and Hollers. The album was followed by Lots More Blues, Rags and Hollers (1964), and The Return of Koerner, Ray & Glover (1965) before ‘Spider’ John Koerner released his debut solo album, Spider Blues (1965). He then began working in a duo with Willie Murphy and recorded two albums during their time together: Running, Jumping, Standing Still (1969) and Music is Just a Bunch of Notes (1972). Reunited with his old friends Ray and Glover, the trio recorded the album Good Old Koerner, Ray & Glover (1972), before ‘Spider’ returned to his solo career with 1974’s Some American Folks Songs Like They Used To. He attempted to start a career as a filmmaker, but eventually abandoned both music and filmmaking and moved to Copenhagen, Denmark. After several years of living there, he began to perform folk music again, eventually moving back to Minneapolis. His first album since his return to music was 1986’s Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Been, which was followed by Raised by Humans (1992) and StarGeezer (1996). In 1990, ‘Spider’ John Koerner also recorded an album with Ramblin’ Jack Elliott and Utah Phillips entitled Legends of Folk. He continued to perform live and issued the album What’s Left of Spider John in 2013. As a member of Koerner, Ray & Glover, he was inducted into the Minnesota Music Academy’s Hall of Fame and the Minnesota Blues Hall of Fame. ‘Spider’ John Koerner died of bile duct cancer on May 18, 2024, at the age of 85.
