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Artist
Country Joe McDonald
12+ albums
folkclassic rockfolk rockwoodstockrock
about
Joseph Allen McDonald (January 1, 1942 – March 7, 2026), known as Country Joe McDonald, was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and film composer. He was the lead singer and co-founder of the psychedelic folk-rock group Country Joe and the Fish. He wrote several of the group's best-known songs, including "Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine" and "I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Rag", the latter becoming associated with protests against United States involvement in the Vietnam War. After the group disbanded in 1971, McDonald continued performing as a solo artist and recorded numerous albums. McDonald was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in El Monte, California. His father, Worden McDonald, was born in Oklahoma and worked for a telephone company, while his mother, Florence Plotnick, the daughter of Russian Jewish immigrants, served as the city auditor of Berkeley, California. Both parents had previously been members of the Communist Party and named their son after Joseph Stalin, although they later renounced the affiliation. In high school, McDonald served as conductor and president of the marching band. At the age of 17, he enlisted in the United States Navy and spent three years stationed in Japan. After completing his service, he attended California State University, Los Angeles, for a year. During this time he began publishing a small magazine titled "Et Tu". He later moved to Berkeley, California, where he pursued a career in folk music, performing on Telegraph Avenue a
