The Hairstory Behind 'Hair'

James Rado is at the heart and root of the origin.  In his early teens he knew what he wanted to do, his dream, to write a Broadway musical.  He had become a fan of the genre, and he made first stabs at writing one.  In college he majored in Speech & Drama and became a songwriter.  He co-authored 2 musical shows at the University of Maryland: "INTERLUDE" and, a year later, "INTERLUDE 2."  After graduation, followed by two years in the U.S.Navy, he returned to school in Washington, D.C. for graduate work at Catholic University, where he co-authored a musical revue called "CROSS YOUR FINGERS."  He wrote the lyrics and music for all his songs.  He moved to New York City, but it would be another 10 years before he would write a fourth musical for the stage.  (During that intervening decade, besides holding down a "make-a-living" job, he wrote pop songs and recorded his own band, known as "James Alexander and the Argyles," and he began to study acting in earnest.)  Upon meeting Gerome Ragni, he saw some of Jerry's poetic writings and asked him to collaborate on a new show.  They began a voluminous creation.  One day they were in the Whitney Museum of Art on Madison Avenue, going from painting to painting, when they came upon a rather unique one by an American artist, Jim Dine.  Looking to see the name of it,  Jim Rado said to Jerry Ragni, "What an odd title for a painting...Hair."  Several months later they found that title most apropos for the show they were writing about hippiedom and the troubles of America.