Biography

His father, I. Z. Brand, was an interpreter to the Indians for the Hudson's Bay Company at Portage La Prairie, Manitoba.

For his work in films, books, and recordings, he won many awards, including the Valley Forge Memorial Award, the Golden Reel Award, the Scholastic Award, the awards of the Edinburgh and Venice film festivals, the New York Critics Award, the National Council of Christians and Jews award, the Peabody citation, Brooklyn College's Community Service Award, and the Thomas Alva Edison Award for the best children's program.

Graduated from Brooklyn College in 1942 with B.A. in abnormal psychology.

Hired as coordinator of folk music for New York City's municipal radio station, WNYC, in 1945. His half-hour Sunday evening broadcast, Folksong Festival, was hugely popular. He later specialized in the songs of American servicemen, of which he recorded several albums, including "G.I.: American Army Songs" (Riverside), "Every Inch a Sailor" (Elektra), "Tell it to the Marines" (Elektra), and "The Wild Blue Yonder" (Elektra).

Oscar Brand continues to broadcast his program, "Folksong Festival" on Radio Station WNYC every week. Now it is heard on Saturday Nights at 10:00 PM instead of on Sunday Nights. It has the distinction of being the longest continuously broadcast program on radio, worldwide. It is so noted in the Guinness Book of World Records. It was originally supposed to be a temporary program but here it is 71 years later still being broadcast and featuring folk singers of today and yesterday. His last show was September 24, 2016.