David Mallett

Biography

David Mallett (April 21, 1951 – December 17, 2024) was an American singer-songwriter best known for his authorship of the "folk standard" composition "Garden Song". He recorded for independent record labels for most of his career.

Biography

A resident of Maine for most of his life, in the 1980s Mallett relocated to Nashville, and released two albums with the folk and blues label Vanguard. He later moved back to Maine and established his own label, North Road Records.
Mallett's songs have been recorded by more than 150 artists, including Pete Seeger; Alison Krauss; John Denver; Arlo Guthrie; Emmylou Harris, Peter, Paul & Mary; Bok; Trickett, Muir; and Makem and Clancy. "Garden Song" was recorded by the Muppets.

"Garden Song"

Mallett wrote "Garden Song" when he was in his early twenties. He had been listening to the radio when he went to help his father plant the garden at his homestead in Sebec, Maine. With "music in his head and work at his hands," the first verse came while planting:

Inch by inch, row by row
Gonna make this garden grow
All it takes is a rake and hoe
And a piece of fertile ground
Mallett walked around the yard humming it. The next day, he wrote the second verse at a friend’s house. Being only the third or fourth song he'd written, Mallett regarded "Garden Song" as a gift, one that altered the course of his life. It was recorded by John Denver; Pete Seeger; Peter, Paul and Mary; and other acts. The song is likely why the University of Maine gave Mallett an honorary degree in 2014.

Performance

Mallett frequently performed with violinist Susan Ramsey and bassist Michael Burd, with sound by Tom Gordon. He recorded 17 albums, including The Fable True in 2007, based on Henry David Thoreau's last expedition in 1857 and Alright Now, a collection of songs including "Beautiful", dedicated to his daughter Molly.
He performed in town halls and folk clubs across America and Europe in addition to major venues such as Barns of Wolf Trap, the Newport Folk Festival, and Prairie Home Companion. The Bangor Daily News recognized him as one of the 58 most memorable Mainers of the 20th Century. The readers of Folkwax voted him "2003 Artist of the Year" and his album Artist in Me as "2003 Album of the Year".

Death

Mallett died from cancer on December 17, 2024, at the age of 73.

Legacy

His sons, Will and Luke, perform as The Mallett Brothers Band. The Mallett Brothers Band released the album, Live in Portland, Maine, in March 2019.
Mallett inspired many other Maine musicians and artists. Singer-songwriter Anni Clark said "He paved the way for many of us here in this little state of Maine. He gave us hope and told us that we could make a difference if we wrote and shared our words in music,” and that he encouraged people “to slow down … to see, hear, taste, embrace & share the simple & good things in life.”