Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 20 hours ago
Celebrating the life of Leslie Fish. Friends and fans of Leslie gathered together to share memories and songs, remembering the greatest filker who ever was.
Index
00:00 Opening and Introduction :
Welcome and an introduction: celebrating Leslie, her contributions, and her lasting impact.
• Catherine and Paul McDonald (1:26-4:10):
Catherine (founder, Off Centaur Publications) shares memories of Leslie Fish as a roommate. Paul sings his tribute, "Sign of the Fish." (4:28-7:20).
• Tex of the Black Pants Legion (8:21-10:50):
Tex recounts how he first encountered Leslie Fish's music through his grandfather and later how her song "Carmen Miranda's Ghost" became the lobby music for the online game, Space Station 13, expanding Leslie’s music (and filk) to a new community.
• Alderon Tyran (11:11-15:10):
Alderon (who has recorded fantastic covers of Leslie’s songs on YouTube, after discovering her work there) shares a performance of “Cold Iron”.
• Elana Voigt (15:38-19:59): Elana shares thoughts from Pagan elder Valerie Voigt (who was unable to attend due to a conflict) about Leslie's significant impact on the Pagan community. In California, Leslie founded the Manzanita Pagan Choir, and her music remains in use for Pagan rituals. Elana sings Leslie's "White Man’s Rain Chant."
• Roberta Rogow (21:35-31:50): Roberta shares a story from the 1988 New Orleans WorldCon. She and Leslie went on a quest to find a Pousse Café. Leslie drank it all in one gulp, leading to an eventful walk back to the hotel. Roberta then performs her song about it.
• Katrina Joyner (34:05-40:08): Katrina shares how Leslie, whom she describes as a "tower of a person" despite being physically tiny, had a profound impact on her life. Katrina recounts Leslie's final public performance — at a Mexican restaurant in Phoenix, which Katrina organized — where Leslie's presence captivated the audience.
(Editor’s note: Katrina is also the heroine responsible for the archival recordings of nearly every unpublished song Leslie ever wrote, which prevented them from being lost forever with Leslie’s passing.)
• Daniel Kelly: (40:42-45:30): Daniel explains how Leslie’s song "Banned from Argo" led him to the filk community. He reads an 1967 essay by John Greenway (from the book "The American Folk Scene: Dimensions of the Folksong Revival”) about Leslie's childhood encounter with Woody Guthrie and her subsequent visits to him, during which she composed a song for him. Daniel then performs that song.
• 48:59 – Dr. Robert Zubrin (Founder, Mars Society) shares memories of Leslie, and her song “Make This World Come Alive” (which she wrote at his request)
*50:25 – Michael Fish (Leslie’s brother) jumps in (sorry, technical issues!) and performs a short piece
*51:28 – Robert Zubrin continuing his tribute, singing Leslie’s song.
• Don Simpson (55:57-1:00:34): Leslie’s former roommate Don Simpson (author, “Ship of Stone”, which Leslie popularized) recalls meeting Leslie Fish decades ago at a local filk convention, and shares memories.
• Carol Metzger (1:00:58-1:09:55): Carol Metzger (member of the IWW’s DeHorn Crew with Leslie) recounts her first meeting with Leslie in the early 1970s during a personal crisis, and more.
Steve Jackson (1:10:48- 1:13:23): Steve shared memories of Leslie — a Car Wars fan and active community participant.
Larry Niven (1:13:42-1:15:15): Larry — who co-authored “Fallen Angels” with Michael Flynn and Jerry Pournelle — talks about incorporating Leslie Fish as one of the characters (Jenny Trout). Larry wrote a song for Leslie’s character to sing, “Wanted Fan”.
Cecilia Eng (1:15:36 -- 1:21:26): Cecilia tells the story of finding a guitar in the shape of a semiautomatic gun that they naturally had purchase for Leslie. She ended this portion of the program by singing Leslie’s "Hope Eyrie".
Leslie Fish's Channel: youtube.com/@lesliefish_filk
prometheus-music.com/product/leslie-fishs-filkbook
#Filk #LeslieFish
Celebrating the life of Leslie Fish. Friends and fans of Leslie gathered together to share memories and songs, remembering the greatest filker who ever was.
Index
00:00 Opening and Introduction :
Welcome and an introduction: celebrating Leslie, her contributions, and her lasting impact.
• Catherine and Paul McDonald (1:26-4:10):
Catherine (founder, Off Centaur Publications) shares memories of Leslie Fish as a roommate. Paul sings his tribute, "Sign of the Fish." (4:28-7:20).
• Tex of the Black Pants Legion (8:21-10:50):
Tex recounts how he first encountered Leslie Fish's music through his grandfather and later how her song "Carmen Miranda's Ghost" became the lobby music for the online game, Space Station 13, expanding Leslie’s music (and filk) to a new community.
• Alderon Tyran (11:11-15:10):
Alderon (who has recorded fantastic covers of Leslie’s songs on YouTube, after discovering her work there) shares a performance of “Cold Iron”.
• Elana Voigt (15:38-19:59): Elana shares thoughts from Pagan elder Valerie Voigt (who was unable to attend due to a conflict) about Leslie's significant impact on the Pagan community. In California, Leslie founded the Manzanita Pagan Choir, and her music remains in use for Pagan rituals. Elana sings Leslie's "White Man’s Rain Chant."
• Roberta Rogow (21:35-31:50): Roberta shares a story from the 1988 New Orleans WorldCon. She and Leslie went on a quest to find a Pousse Café. Leslie drank it all in one gulp, leading to an eventful walk back to the hotel. Roberta then performs her song about it.
• Katrina Joyner (34:05-40:08): Katrina shares how Leslie, whom she describes as a "tower of a person" despite being physically tiny, had a profound impact on her life. Katrina recounts Leslie's final public performance — at a Mexican restaurant in Phoenix, which Katrina organized — where Leslie's presence captivated the audience.
(Editor’s note: Katrina is also the heroine responsible for the archival recordings of nearly every unpublished song Leslie ever wrote, which prevented them from being lost forever with Leslie’s passing.)
• Daniel Kelly: (40:42-45:30): Daniel explains how Leslie’s song "Banned from Argo" led him to the filk community. He reads an 1967 essay by John Greenway (from the book "The American Folk Scene: Dimensions of the Folksong Revival”) about Leslie's childhood encounter with Woody Guthrie and her subsequent visits to him, during which she composed a song for him. Daniel then performs that song.
• 48:59 – Dr. Robert Zubrin (Founder, Mars Society) shares memories of Leslie, and her song “Make This World Come Alive” (which she wrote at his request)
*50:25 – Michael Fish (Leslie’s brother) jumps in (sorry, technical issues!) and performs a short piece
*51:28 – Robert Zubrin continuing his tribute, singing Leslie’s song.
• Don Simpson (55:57-1:00:34): Leslie’s former roommate Don Simpson (author, “Ship of Stone”, which Leslie popularized) recalls meeting Leslie Fish decades ago at a local filk convention, and shares memories.
• Carol Metzger (1:00:58-1:09:55): Carol Metzger (member of the IWW’s DeHorn Crew with Leslie) recounts her first meeting with Leslie in the early 1970s during a personal crisis, and more.
Steve Jackson (1:10:48- 1:13:23): Steve shared memories of Leslie — a Car Wars fan and active community participant.
Larry Niven (1:13:42-1:15:15): Larry — who co-authored “Fallen Angels” with Michael Flynn and Jerry Pournelle — talks about incorporating Leslie Fish as one of the characters (Jenny Trout). Larry wrote a song for Leslie’s character to sing, “Wanted Fan”.
Cecilia Eng (1:15:36 -- 1:21:26): Cecilia tells the story of finding a guitar in the shape of a semiautomatic gun that they naturally had purchase for Leslie. She ended this portion of the program by singing Leslie’s "Hope Eyrie".
Leslie Fish's Channel: youtube.com/@lesliefish_filk
prometheus-music.com/product/leslie-fishs-filkbook
#Filk #LeslieFish
