George and Jerry Armstrong

Norm Pellegrini, former host of the WFMT Midnight Special, considered George and Gerry Armstrong the “keepers of the flame, the folk conscience of Chicago”. Studs Terkel said Gerry had a voice “of soaring purity.” With George on the bagpipes and Gerry on the dulcimer along with her beautiful vocals, they became known as “the first family of Chicago Folk”. The Shaker hymn ‘Simple Gifts” became their signature song as well as the title of their 1961 album.