In Memorium, Dan Maher
The folk music community lost one of its greats with the passing of Dan Maher on May 19, 2025 at age 72. Dan fought a courageous battle against terminal liver cancer since his unexpected diagnosis following a January 3 heart attack. A CAT scan that day revealed a stage 4 liver cancer which explained the extreme lack of energy Dan had been feeling for several months. Throughout the duration of his illness, Dan continued his internet radio show “Dan Maher’s Good Road” on FolkMusicNotebook.com, featuring music and his insightful commentary.
For 38 years, up until his retirement from Washington State University where he was a student activities advisor, Dan’s weekly radio program “Inland Folk” brought the best of folk music to his listeners throughout the Northwest. His insights and frequent exclamations of “AMAZING” and “DYNAMITE” were enthusiastic descriptors of his knowledge and feelings about what he aired. Dan selflessly promoted the Three Rivers Folklife Society’s Tumbleweed Music Festival on Labor Day weekend since its inception 29 years ago, and emceed the festival’s main concert each year.
Dan was at his best in solo performances at which he reveled in presenting Irish, Scots, English, and American traditional and modern folk music. But where he really excelled was his incredible ability to engage his audience through encouragement and exhortation to join him in singing old and new choruses. Pete Seeger could not have done it better. Though Dan has now passed, his music remains with us in the form of five albums, including his final album, St. Patrick’s Day Live 2021, all of which are available through BandCamp for free. Dan Maher’s Good Road internet radio program will continue to grace the internet through 72 archived programs at MixCloud.com. The program will continue as “Good Road” with his producer, Katrina Knight, carrying on in Dan’s spirit.
Dan is survived by his twin sister Nelle Maher-Clark of Spokane and his faithful service dog K.C. who at Dan’s direction has joined the family of Gene and Susan Carbaugh (Richland). Special friends who will particularly miss Dan include Eunjeong Hshin (Rome, GA), Katrina Knight (Kennewick), Micki Perry (Kennewick), and Isaac Wright (Moscow). Dan was a believer in Jesus Christ and walked under his grace as a Christian.
You may read Dan’s obituary here.
Dan’s Memorial Service was held on Saturday, June 21st, at 11:00am at Living Faith Fellowship Church in Pullman, WA.
The recorded service is now available at the church’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/LFFchurch/videos/573303219166848, and on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K9_WpHtxiA.
Spokane Public Radio had a news item about Dan’s passing:
https://www.spokanepublicradio.org/regional-news/2025-05-20/northwest-folk-singer-public-radio-host-dan-maher-passes-away.
3RFS member Jim Coleman has made a wonderful video Tribute to Dan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pe3PIA03Az4.
And, you can always watch Dan’s Virtual Tumbleweed festival appearances – from the main menu above, select “Past Tumbleweed Festivals,” then “TMF Virtual 2020” or “TMF Virtual 2021.”
(Or go directly to the TMFVirtual2020 performance at : https://vimeo.com/448166292;
or the TMF Virtual 2021 performance at: https://vimeo.com/573949470).
Rest in peace, Dan. You’ve led us down many good roads and we wish you a safe, eternal journey.
