Philip David Ochs was an American songwriter, protest singer, and political activist. Ochs was known for his sharp wit, sardonic humor, and political commentary. He wrote approximately 200 songs throughout the 1960s and 1970s, and released eight albums.
Ochs performed at many political events throughout the course of his career-including the 1968 Democratic National Convention, multiple mass demonstrations sponsored by the National Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam, civil rights rallies, student events, and organized labor events-and was known to perform at benefits for free. Politically, early in his career, Ochs described himself as a "left social democrat," but became an early revolutionary after the police riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention, which had a profound effect on his state of mind.
After years of prolific writing in the 1960s, Ochs' mental stability declined in the 1970s. He had a number of mental health problems, including depression, bipolar disorder and alcoholism, and died by suicide on April 9, 1976.
Ochs' influences included Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, Bob Gibson, Faron Young, and Merle Haggard.