Donald K. Wilgus; UCLA Professor
Donald Knight (D.K.) Wilgus, first chairman of UCLA’s folklore and mythology program when it began in 1965 and a professor emeritus of English and music, died Dec. 25 at the Hospital of the Good Samaritan in Los Angeles. He was 71 and died after heart surgery.
A president of the American Folklore Society and editor of the journal, Western Folklore, Wilgus was a scholar of Anglo-American folksong who earned a master’s degree on so-called “hillbilly music” and a doctorate in English from Ohio State.
He came to UCLA from the faculty of Western Kentucky University in 1963 and started an archive of traditional Anglo-American folk songs which has since been named for him. He also produced a series of folk festivals at the Westwood campus before retiring in June.
Wilgus was the author of “Anglo-American Folksong Scholarship Since 1898,” considered a definitive work.
His survivors include his wife, Eleanor Long, who also was his collaborator, two daughters, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Contributions may be made to a Wilgus Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 83812, Los Angeles 90083. The fund will support archival acquisitions in the country and western field.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
