The Moment
If you loved the folk-psychedelic swirl of the Sixties, you know her voice: Licorice McKechnie, the ethereal singer from The Incredible String Band, long rumored to have vanished in the late 1980s. Now, a UK newspaper reports she’s alive and living quietly in the Sacramento area.
The paper claims to have tracked her down nearly four decades after fans feared the worst. The report includes comments attributed to an ex-husband and a relative by marriage, both expressing shock. As of now, there’s no official confirmation from authorities, representatives, or McKechnie herself.
Translation: it’s a jolt of hopeful news with a big asterisk. The story could be a remarkable reunion with a living legend—or simply a rare public sighting misread through the heavy fog of nostalgia and rumor.
The Take
Here’s my read: we’re watching two powerful forces crash into each other—our collective longing for the artists who soundtracked the Woodstock dream, and a woman’s apparent determination to live far from the megaphone of fame. Both things can be true.
McKechnie, a cult figure who helped define a tender, mystical corner of Sixties music, seems to have chosen opacity. If this report is accurate, she’s kept that choice for decades. That’s not failure; that’s agency. Fame is a hotel you can check out of—your name just keeps glowing on the marquee without your consent.
Also, let’s be gentle. Elderly people deserve privacy, and so do former stars who didn’t sign up for a 24/7 reunion tour with the internet. Celebrate the possibility that she’s okay. Don’t turn her into a scavenger hunt. The music’s still there. The archive still sings.
Receipts
Confirmed
- Licorice McKechnie was a key vocalist and multi-instrumentalist with The Incredible String Band, appearing on multiple late-1960s/early-1970s albums (per the band’s published discography).
- The Incredible String Band performed at Woodstock in 1969; McKechnie was part of the era-defining lineup (documented in Woodstock’s official historical materials).
- McKechnie left the band in the early 1970s and later lived in the United States; fans have long described her as “missing” or out of contact since the late 1980s.
Unverified/Reported
- A UK newspaper report (Nov. 15, 2025) claims McKechnie is alive in the Sacramento area and includes reactions from people identified as an ex-husband and a relative by marriage.
- Details about her current residence, day-to-day habits, and health are not confirmed by official records or on-the-record representatives.
- There is no current public statement from McKechnie.
Backstory (For Casual Readers)
The Incredible String Band, a Scottish folk-psych group beloved by artists and collectors, blended traditional instruments with trippy, fairy-tale lyricism. McKechnie—nicknamed “Licorice,” often shortened to “Likky”—was a core presence on nine of the band’s records during their peak and appeared during the Woodstock era. After leaving the group in the early 1970s, she settled in the U.S. and quietly stepped away from public life. Over time, rumors piled up, with fans unsure if she was off-grid or gone for good.
What’s Next
Patience and verification. We’re watching for any on-record confirmation from McKechnie, family, former bandmates, or an authorized representative. If this is truly her, an archivist’s dream follows: reissues with fresh liner notes, a thoughtful documentary, or even a brief written statement. If she prefers silence, that’s an answer too—one we should respect.
Sources (human-readable): Woodstock official historical archive (1969 performance; accessed Nov. 15, 2025). The Incredible String Band’s published discography and historical notes (accessed Nov. 15, 2025). UK newspaper report on McKechnie’s reported whereabouts (Nov. 15, 2025).
Your turn: How do we honor a beloved artist’s legacy while respecting their right to disappear from public life?
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