’70s musician Linda Perhacs declared missing, loved ones plea for help

Singer-songwriter Linda Perhacs, known for being a pioneer of the psychedelic folk genre in the 1970s, has been declared missing. Friends of Perhacs, 82, took to Instagram on July 28 to announce her disappearance and ask the public for their help. Linda Perhacs is best known for her debut album Parallelograms. A joint post by Perhacs’ former manager, Laurel Sterns, and musicians Julia Holter, Mark McNeill, and Jessica Hundley said it has now been months since they last heard from Perhacs. “[Perhacs] was discharged from a residential care facility approximately eight months ago under the supervision of her legal guardian,” the post read. “Since then, friends and longtime collaborators have been unable to reach her and repeated attempts to contact her guardian have reportedly gone unanswered. Please help us locate Linda to ensure her wellbeing.” In response to a comment on the post, McNeill explained that the group had already filed a police report and hired an elder abuse attorney to file a petition with the state. In an email sent to Rolling Stone, Hundley claimed that Perhacs had been living at the facility for several years, struggling with dementia, adding that they had also now hired a private investigator to help find her. “The intention is not to intrude upon her privacy, but simply to ensure that she is safe and to re-establish communication with someone whose artistic contributions continue to resonate across generations,” Hundley said. Perhacs is best known for her 1970 album Parallelograms, which went relatively unnoticed at the time; it was rediscovered in the ’90s and is now known as a lost psychedelic folk classic. She released her second album, The Soul of All Natural Things, in 2014, and her third, I'm A Harmony, in 2017. Perhacs appears to have an active Instagram account, that seems to have recently been taken over by friends and family. Linda Perhacs released three albums over the span of her career. In a statement shared with multiple US outlets, Stearns explained that numerous friends and collaborators have recently tried to get in touch with Perhacs and her guardian, but all attempts have gone unanswered. “Concern is growing among friends, collaborators, and members of the music community regarding the well-being and current whereabouts of acclaimed singer-songwriter Linda Perhacs,” the statement said. Stearns added that at the moment, “those issuing this statement are not alleging wrongdoing”. “Rather, they are seeking confirmation that Linda is safe, well, and receiving appropriate care, while expressing concern over the prolonged absence of communication with a beloved public figure.”