Alice Brock of Alice’s Restaurant Dies; Thanksgiving Traditions Mourned
Alice Brock, the inspiration behind Arlo Guthrie’s iconic song “Alice’s Restaurant,” passed away shortly before Thanksgiving. Brock, along with her husband Ray, owned and operated Alice’s Restaurant in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, where Guthrie and a friend were arrested for illegal dumping in 1965, an event immortalized in the famous song. This incident, coupled with Guthrie’s draft deferral story, propelled “Alice’s Restaurant” to international fame. Guthrie later purchased the Brock’s former church and established The Guthrie Center.
John Q. Hosedrinker