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Ahbez, Eden

1908?-1995

Also known as Alexander Aberle
American hippy and singer

Ahbez is known as the First Hippy. His life story is unclear but one version has him born in 1908 (another after World War I) to a large and poverty-stricken family in Brooklyn. He and his twin sister were placed in an orphanage, and he was adopted aged seven by a family in Kansas. When he left home he became a drifter and wanderer across the USA, finally ending up in Hollywood, where he lived rough, dressing in flowing robes with a long beard and hair, and being known as The Yogi or The Hermit. He wrote music; the song "Nature Boy" was recorded by Nat King Cole and became a number one hit record in the 1940s. He earned a large amount of money in royalties but refused to touch it, continuing to live on the streets. He wrote more music and recorded some himself (Eden's Island was his first album, and he also recorded with the Beach Boys).