The late musician, known as the "Godfather of Freak Folk" was influential to a generation of singer-songwriters including Will Oldham and Lucinda WilliamsMichael Hurley, a folk musician, cartoonist and painter,

The Godfather of freak folk, Michael Hurley, died on April 3 at the age of 83. His songs often mixed humor, unusual characters, and emotion and were also described as “outsider folk.