This site is operated by me, Brian Chidester, as a way of reaching out to those who knew Eden Ahbez personally, or simply love his music. As for myself, I am currently working a biography about Ahbez’s life, and plan to share some of my findings as I tread along the research path.
Now that you’ve found me, check back often!
EDEN’S ISLAND 
A friend, Michael Ward, national park ranger, has written a well-researched biography of Stan Jones life and has recently signed with a publisher. We are currently searching for photographs/permissions/credits, and in which Stan Jones appears with Eden Ahbez on your blog is one we would like to include. Could you please provide permission, source, credit info, plus an electronic version of this photo? Any help here? Please email! Thank you so much.
Hey Brian, amazing blog. I’m taken by Eden, truly the first hippie ever…
I’d love to license “NatureBoy” for a project I’m music supervising, but having problems tracking down the copyright holder. On ASCAP, they list a place called Golden World Publications, but no email or contact info. Curious if you have any leads, would be a huge help…
Again, nice work on this blog, which I will read through when I’m off the clock!
Joe Rudge
Hey Joe…
Send me your email and I’ll give you the direct line to Golden World.
Thanks for the enthusiasm for the blog.
Yours,
Brian
Hi Brian,
Beautiful blog. I’m also looking to secure music licensing for Nature Boy for a film.
Could you also send me the contact info for Golden World?
My email is caitlinstarowicz@gmail.com
Thanks so much and please keep up the incredible work with this marvelous site!
-Caitlin
Hi Brian,
I, too, work as a Music Supervisor trying to reach Geraldine Janowiak for Golden World Music & the US rights to the song, “Nature Boy”. I would very much appreciate if you could send me a direct line, please?
Thanks so much, Brian!
Nancy Severinsen
Hi Nancy… I have the same number as everyone else for Golden World. I spoke to Geraldine (Gerry) back in June and she said she was moving her office and would reconnect the same number in July. If it hasn’t happened, I’m not sure what to tell you. There may be other Janowiaks in the Palm Springs area that you can find in the White Pages or on Facebook. Gerry is quite elderly. Her husband, David Janowiak, passed away in 2012. He was Ahbez’s longtime accountant. They were left a portion of the composer’s publishing in the will for their help in getting him owed royalties and full publishing to “Nature Boy” in 1983 and ’92.
Hi Brian,
I just came across your blog as I was trying to get the contact info of Geraldine Janowiak. I wanted to use Nature Boy in a short film. It seems to be a bit tricky to find something in the web, I’d very much appreciate if you could send me the contact to Golden World or Geraldine please. My email is s.wink5222@student.leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Thank you very much! A very nice blog you’ve here!
Stefan
joelvanderheyden@gmail.com
Thank you!
>
Hello! I hope you are still maintaining your blog and responding to inquiries. I’m a small indie artist trying to figure out how to get rights to release a derivate work based on Nature Boy. If I could get the contact info for Golden World that would be so very helpful! Thank you in advance–
Kerri Joy
kerrijoymusic@gmail.com
Hi Nancy Severinsen. I have been trying to find a contact detail of yours to ask about some important information regarding a film you were involved with. If you see this could you kindly contact me via eMail address: toby.phillips@aol.co.uk
sure – it’s joerudge@gmail.com
Brian~ I’d like tho have a quick convo…met & knew “Ahbbi” briefly but in the larger pic was part of the Wayne Shanklin ‘extended family’, for many years, J.R. Shanklin was my best bud and producer, etc., …all kinds of rich & meaningful history. Oh and yes, Abezs’ music, particularly “Nature Boy”: I happen to consider to be one of the very best quintessential musical expressions and delineation/explanation as to our existence in ‘this illusion’. Pls have a quick [scan] look at my Twitter timeline and you’ll grok what I mean.
Cheers, Dion [“P6”] Smith
What’s your email or phone number, Dion? Would love to talk about “Ahbbi” with you.
Brian–
You have my direct [this] email.
Sure, we could talk on the phone.
Don’t rmbr much abt. Abbi per se, but I was certainly “around”, in those days:
Gold Star recording studios [Stan Ross], Wrecking Crew, Wayne Shanklin [Sr. and Jr], Toni Fisher…lots more I’m surely forgetting.
Landline in Burbank CA:
818-767-4111 …needs a human being nearby to pick up, othr`wse a directline callbk #, pls.
–Dion / Palladin6 [Webb]
http://DionSmith.net
Not sure this is transmitting…
Here ’tis 1 more x.
Brian–
You have my direct [this] email.
Sure, we could talk on the phone.
Don’t rmbr much abt. Abbi per se, but I was certainly “around”, in those days:
Gold Star recording studios [Stan Ross], Wrecking Crew, Wayne Shanklin [Sr. and Jr], Toni Fisher…lots more I’m surely forgetting.
Landline in Burbank CA:
818-767-4111 …needs a human being nearby to pick up, othr`wse a directline callbk #, pls.
–Dion / Palladin6 [Webb]
http://DionSmith.net
Hi Brian, I just saw a photograph a friend of mine took and thought I spotted Eden Abhez in the background. I’d like to share it with you and see what you think, but I didn’t see a contact with an email listed on this blog. It was taken in april 1981 at oki dogs on Santa Monica Blvd in Hollywood, Prob directly south of the Hollywood sign. If you’re interested in seeing it let me know how to get it to you.
Thanks,
Pete Ross
banjopete@smart.net
Hi Pete,
Would love to see it. My email is: bcxists@gmail.com. Thanks for reaching out!
Yours,
Brian
Hi Brian. I’m the niece of Emil Zimmerman, one of the members of the ‘nature boy’ group, you can him in several photos in the book ‘Children of the Sun’. My Dad briefly hung around with them while in California as well and I remember him talking about Gypsy Boots & Eden. I’m trying to find any information about my uncle, particularly find out what happened to his wife, I think her name was Sandy (like mine) although I’m not sure if they were married or not. My uncle died in South America but no one knows what he died from. If you know of any information that could help me I would appreciate it. I have a couple of photos of my Dad on Muscle Beach at that time and next time I visit my mother I’ll take another look at the old photos and see if Eden is in any of them. However, slim chance since my mother probably threw anything away to do with my uncle as she didn’t care for the nature boy lifestyle.
Hi Brian,
My dad’s friend, Steve, was a friend of Ahbey’s and I was wondering how I could get in touch with you to talk more about him. I have some private questions to ask.
-Sam
I’ve got some interesting information about the history of hippie culture in Southern California that will be a great addition to all this research.
One place in particular that is interesting is called Freedom Hill near Tujunga. Follow the link below to a story about “Freedom Hill Henry” – scroll down and have a look at the photo of his son in 1924!
http://wesclark.com/burbank/henrys.html
Much of the roots of all of this wave of thinking comes from an author named J. William Lloyd – his books “The Natural Man” and “Dwellers in Vale Sunrise” are good places to start. The main character, Forest Westwood, and the “Tribe” he created were recognized as proto-hippies by a UC Santa Cruz researcher in the early 1970s.
Well I used spotify streams to compare. The bandcamp streams sound much better. Please throw away all of my comments if possible.
Could you tell me which musicians played on that record? (you can reach me over at: geoff at home dot nl.
Hey Brian!
I’m planning a podcast episode feature Eden’s Island – would love to know what research you’ve found on it and Eden himself!
Tons. Send me a private email and I’ll get you some more info.
Hi Brian,
Great job with this blog on eden ahbez. I’m still pondering a book, a cultural history of ‘Nature Boy’ as a break in the Cold War…
Bob Niemi
Hey Bob,
Good to hear from you. If you want to do a book that contextualizes “Nature Boy,” I’m all for it, and will help as I can. My own book is not narrative-driven (it’s a biography), so I don’t think the two would intersect. I hope all is well.
Brian
Hi Brian,
I would be more than happy to do a little pro-bono researching work for this project, as I’m a huge Eden Ahbez fan. I’ve mainly worked on fiction so far, but would love to discuss this further if you’re interestd.
Cheers,
Zander
N.B. by project I mean the Eden Ahbez doc that you posted about
Hi Brian, I’m a swiss artist, actually working on the german Lebensreform and Monte Verità movement. I recently discovered Eden Ahbez’s music… and fall in love! Is there any biography about him? And what about your work about Ahbez? Thanks for your answer (and also for your web-site!).
Simon
simonkroug.com
Hi Simon… I’m glad you found my site and that you are digging into the Lebensreformers. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help in your research. Regarding biographies on Ahbez: no, there is no full bio as yet. There are, however, a few short pieces that dip into his music and context. Roy Behrens wrote a pamphlet titled “On Nature Boy Spelled Backwards,” which details the four year pen-pal relationship between himself and Ahbez in the early 1960s. There is also “Bohemian Highways: Art and Culture Abide Then Divide Along the California Coast,” which has a 30-page chapter on Ahbez’s unreleased music, written by me. I’m also working on a full biography of Ahbez right now and am co-directing a documentary film about him as well. Thanks for checking in. Best, Brian.
Thanks Bryan for your kind answer. Please, let me know when your book about Eden is on sale!
I’m working on an artistic happening about Ahbez, which I’d like to take place in a little alpine cabin…
Best Regards,
Simon
Far out, Simon. Keep me posted on that event. Brian
Hi Brian:
Just wanted to follow up with you regarding Golden World. We purchased the Janowiaks’ home from Mrs. Janowiak (Geraldine) in July of 2015. I do not have a forwarding address or number for Golden World. I do know Mrs. Janowiak has gone to live with family in Northern California. Sorry I can’t be of more help.
Regards,
Kim
Thanks, Kim. I have actually made contact again. All the best.
That’s great!
I’m really keen to get a contact for geraldine too – can you let me know how you found a contact (or what it is)
theatre@blueappletheatre.com
Hi Brian,
I have a jazz big band arrangement of Nature Boy that I would love to publish. Would you be willing to pass along Gerry’s contact info so I could reach out to her to ask permission? I would sincerely appreciate it. Thank you!
Hi there. I could have sworn I saw a doc on Eden on YouTube called American Sunyassin a few years ago. Is that possible?
Never heard of. Link?
I cannot find it anywhere on Google which means someone took it down or i was hallucinating. Thank you and very much looking forward to your completed work.
Dear Brian, I’m a writer for the Daily Telegraph in London. Can you please contact me regarding the documentary you’re working on. Hoping to hear from you. Thanks. Mick Brown
Hi Mick… would be glad to. My email is: bcxists (at) gmail (dot) com. Reach out there when it is convenient. Best, Brian
Hi! I am an orchestra librarian wondering about rights for Nature Boy on an upcoming concert. Is it all possible to let me know if you have a contact for Golden World or Ms. Janowiak at this time? Thank you so much in advance. 🙂
Leave a private email.
Hello Brian – I’m excited to have found someone that seems to have a line on connecting with Golden World as we also need to speak with them. Contact email is: webmasterca@sonymusic.com. Thanks very much in advance for your help.
Hello. Curious if you might have any information about Ahbez spending time in Miami, FL in the 1940s? Thank you!
Yes, a number of things, including two pieces of sheet music he published out of Miami in 1946, an interview from 1957 where he mentions a health guru he met there who changed his life, and some later news clippings from the 1970s which mention a few clubs he played while living there in the forties.
Brian. Enjoyed the PKM interview. Here’s a Eden question I hope you might shed some light on: do you know any details about the bike Eden is riding in Peter Stackpole’s awesome 1948 photo. Perhaps a custom bike? There’s no maker decals visible, brakes are in odd position low on handlebars, appears to be single speed. Any connection to Hans Ohrt Lightweight Bicycles—famous shop of the stars in Beverly Hills? Not many outlets for this style on bike in LA in those days. Thanks
Hi Chuck… thanks for the kind words about the PKM interview. I unfortunately do not know the type of bike Ahbe is riding in that photo. Please let me know if you find the answer.
Hi Brian,
I’m having the same trouble as quite a few people above reaching Geraldine Janowiak or Golden World. I’d like to secure their permission to translate “Nature boy”. Would you be able to help me get in touch with them?
Hi Bartek,
The number to reach Golden World Publishing at is: 1+ 916-673-8222.
Best of luck.
Brian
Hello Brian,
First I’d like to thank you for collecting so much information on this incredible artist. I am reaching out on behalf of The New York Philharmonic and The Lincoln Center. We would like to perform excerpts from “The Singing Prophet: Echoes of Eternity” with members of our orchestra and, myself (vocalist, Joshua Banbury) on February 4th, 2022.
Would you happen to know where I could find the original transcript for “Echoes of Eternity”? Any guidance you can offer would be greatly appreciated. I can be reached by email at joshuabanbury1@gmail.com
Best,
Joshua