Essra Mohawk Obituary – Death: Singer-Songwriter Who Performed With Frank Zappa, Jerry Garcia, But Missed Woodstock Passed Away At 75
Essra Mohawk, the talented singer known for recording numerous albums and notably inspiring Cyndi Lauper’s rendition of her song “Change of Heart,” passed away on December 11 at the age of 75 in her Nashville home after battling cancer.
Describing herself as a flower child, Mohawk, though not achieving mainstream stardom, enjoyed a substantial career in the vibrant music scene of her time. She collaborated with iconic figures like Frank Zappa and Jerry Garcia.
Despite missing her performance slot at the original Woodstock festival due to a wrong turn by her driver, Mohawk’s musical journey flourished. She reminisced about the incident in a 2009 video interview, expressing the quirky turn of events.
Throughout her career, she recorded over a dozen albums. In the 1970s, Mohawk contributed songs like “Sufferin’ Till Suffrage” and “Interjections!” for the animated shorts of Schoolhouse Rock.
Her notable achievements, however, often came through other artists covering her work. Cyndi Lauper’s rendition of “Change of Heart” reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1987, and Tina Turner later covered Mohawk’s “Stronger Than the Wind.”
In a unique twist, Mohawk participated in the Chuck Barris game show The Gong Show, performing her song “Appointment With a Dream.” Surprisingly, she avoided being gonged and received positive feedback from the judges.
Her final album, “The One and Only,” was released in 2019. Essra Mohawk is survived by her cousin, Jeff Hurvitz.