Alex Hassilev - The LimelitersAlex Hassilev was a founding member of The Limeliters, who although retired in 2006, appeared on occasion with the newest members of the trio before his death at age 91 on April 21, 2024, the last of the original trio.
Another founding member of the group, the late Glenn Yarbrough, left the group in the 1960s to pursue a successful solo career ("Baby the Rain Must Fall") but returned for awhile for reunion tours. He died August 12, 2016, at age 86. The other original Limeliter, Lou Gottlieb, passed away in July of 1996. Alex Hassilev was born on July 11, 1932 in Paris, France, of Russian emigré parents Leonide and tamara Hassilev, and was educated at Harvard and the University of Chicago. He was an accomplished actor with many films and television appearances to his credit. Alex was also an unusually gifted musician, switching from the guitar to the banjo with the ease of a master. This plus his robust baritone voice are two reasons why, in the words of one critic, "the three voices and three instruments sound like twenty." As the Limeliters themselves have matured, so Alex in his later years could produce a fantastic full-fledged Russian basso. Hassilev’s musical background was mainly in the classical field, although he knew some Russian folk songs that his parents brought over as well as some Brazilian and French songs. He said that he didn’t discover American folk music until his early 20s, when he was stationed in England after being drafted into the Army. Alex spoke fluent French, Russian and Spanish, and has contributed many foreign language songs to The Limeliters' repertoire. When the Limeliters first broke up at the height of their fame in 1963, Alex Hassilev turned to acting and operating a recording studio in his home, producing records for a variety of other artists as well as The Limeliters. His studio was one of the first to have a Moog synthesizer — well before the Beatles, the Monkees and other pop bands discovered the instrument. He and Mort Garson used the Moog to help create a moderate-sized hit album, “The Zodiac: Cosmic Sounds.” He also turned to acxting, which he had began in college. He appeared in the 1966 movie "The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming" as Hrushevsky, a Soviet sailor, as well as a guest in an episode of TV's "Get Smart." For many years he continued to produce many of The Limeliters' recordings. When the chance came to reunite the Limeliters as a part-time touring act in 1972, Hassilev, who now solely owned the rights to the group’s name, jumped at the chance. The old vocal chemistry was still there; the show drew highly positive reviews and big crowds. But with the folk era largely over, the Limeliters never could attract the same level of attention from record companies. But when Yarbrough left the group again in 1977, Hassilev, now thoroughly in charge, kept the Limeliters going. He replaced Yarbrough with tenor Red Grammer in the 1980s, and recorded several albums with that configuration of Hassilev-Gottlieb-Grammer. When Grammer left to pursue a successful career as a children's music artist, Alex replaced him with Rick Dougherty in the 1990s. When Gottlieb died suddenly in 1996, Hassilev replaced him with Bill Zorn. That edition of the Limeliters lasted until 2002, when along with Hassilev's health issues, a legal dispute blew apart that edition of the trio, but in the end Hassilev kept the Limeliters going, teaming up with Andy Corwin and Mack Bailey. Hassilev retired in 2006, leaving the leadership of the touring Limeliters to Andy Corwin while still owning the group’s name. Under Corwin, the Limeliters, with various changes in personnel, remain active to this day. "Folk music has always happened [been popular] in America." Hassilev said. "The problem is the establishment has never been comfortable with folk music, for reasons that should be obvious from what's being sung, the topics being covered." Alex's song, "A Hundred Men" is an example of the anti-war spirit that is an example of what makes folk music so topical. Alex served as the longest-running core of The Limeliters, with great charm and presence. After 47 years in 2006 Alex Hassilev announced he was retiring. Fans would see occasional interviews or videos from his colleagues, but his voice is now gone, although the Limeliters vow to continue on. |
Alex Hassilev, the singing, songwriting, guitar and banjo virtuoso who was the last surviving original member of 1960s folk trio the Limeliters, died of cancer April 21 at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California. He was 91.
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