Ronnie Gilbert, member of folk quartet the Weavers, dies

Singer Ronnie Gilbert, a member of the influential 1950s folk quartet the Weavers, has died. She was 88.

Her longtime partner, Donna Korones, says Gilbert died of natural causes Saturday at a retirement community in Mill Valley.

With the Weavers, whose other members were Pete Seeger, Lee Hays and Fred Hellerman, Gilbert helped spark a national folk revival by churning out hit recordings of "Goodnight Irene," ''On Top of Old Smokey," ''If I Had A Hammer," ''Kisses Sweeter Than Wine" and "Wimoweh."

The group was hugely popular before being targeted by anti-Communists and blacklisted during the Red Scare. After disbanding in 1964, Gilbert worked as a stage actor and psychologist.

She is survived by her daughter, Lisa, and Korones, her partner of 30 years.