Nature boy, eden ahbez

eden or ahbe as he was known to his friends, played the piano at the Eutropheon in the early 1940s. The Eurtopheon was small health food store and raw food restaurant on Laurel Canyon Blvd. The owners of the Eutropheon were John and Vera Richter. The Richters were followers and promoters of a German philosophy, Wandervogel, who's adherants wore long hair and beards. They also ate only raw fruits and vegetables. The followers of the Richter's became known as nature boys.

Eden said that he had crossed the country from New York to California 8 times on foot. Eden married Anna Jacobsen. They had a son. The family slept out under the stars, spending many nights in Griffith Park.


Sometime in 1947 eden handed the music and lyrics for a song he had written, Nature Boy, to Nat Coles manager. Nat performed the song live and the reception prompted him to record the song. Eden had to be located to close the deal. Eden was finally located living under the first L in the Hollywood sign in the Hollywood hills.

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return"

eden ahbez    Nature Boy

eden on racism

"Some white people Hate black people,
and some white people Love black people,
Some black people Hate white people,
and some black people Love white people.
So you see it's not an issue of black and white,
it's an issue of Lovers and Haters."`
eden ahbez
http://www.shadowboxstudio.com/edenahbez.htm

Anna, eden's wife died in 1963. Eden spent much of his later years living alone in a van. Here is a very interesting phone message he left his friend with a picture montage.