Whatever Happened to Arlo Guthrie?

Arlo Guthrie, Folk singer and composer at Musicarnival, August 25, 1969 and in 2012 composite — Everett Collection; Michael Buckner/Getty Images

For decades, Arlo Guthrie‘s name was practically synonymous with American countercultural music. Best known for his 18-minute satirical 1967 epic “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree,” Guthrie didn’t just sing songs; he painted a very real picture with them and toured all across the country singing his epic tunes. But these days, Guthrie, who turned 78 on July 10, is enjoying a quieter rhythm of life far from the limelight, and he seems more than happy about it.

After formally retiring from touring in 2020, Guthrie found peace in splitting time between Florida and Massachusetts, where he lives with his third wife, Marti Ladd. The two were longtime friends before they rekindled a romance and got married in 2021. They now run a venue called The Guthrie Center, located in a former church in Massachusetts. The space serves as both a community hub and a performance venue. Although he is no longer actively performing, Guthrie remains connected to the music world and occasionally appears at events or shares reflections with fans online.

Everett Collection

In his retirement announcement, Guthrie shared that health issues played a role in his decision to stop touring. He had suffered a series of small strokes that made life on the road more difficult. “It’s been a great 50 years of being a working entertainer, but I reached the difficult decision that touring and stage shows are no longer an option,” he wrote on his website.

These days, Guthrie spends more time reflecting, writing and staying engaged in conversations that matter to him. He often posts thoughts about life, politics and aging on his website and social media accounts. While he may not be holding a guitar on stage anymore, he continues to play the role of storyteller, just in a more relaxed and grounded way.