Maury Bernstein was born on February 16, 1939, in New York City.  By the spring of 1940, his family was living in North Minneapolis, at 6th and Penn Ave.  His father was a shipping clerk at a candy factory.  He attended North High School and earned a bachelor’s degree, presumably at the University of Minnesota.  His address at one point was 223 Cedar Ave. on the West Bank.

At his death, his sister listed his profession as “radio broadcaster.” He was actually also an educator and entertainer as well.

He produced and hosted “Folk Music and Bernstein,” which began airing on radio station WAYL in October 1962 to June 1969.  After a short break it appeared on station KSJN-FM in January to October 1970 and again from July to November 1972.  On November 14, 1972, it was announced that 13 programs had been purchased by National Public Radio to be broadcast weekly. and was picked up for national broadcast on NPR in 1972 to 1979.

After that show was discontinued, he taught ethnomusicology in British and American folk music at the University of Minnesota from 1979 to 1986.

He hosted “The Jewish Program,” featuring news and commentary, on a variety of Minnesota radio stations until 1993.

He performed in many venues, particularly on the West Bank, in French, Russian, British, Australian, Italian, and Yiddish styles.

Maury Bernstein died on November 9, 2013, at the Sholom Home West nursing home in St. Louis Park, of Parkinson’s disease at the age of 74. He is buried at the United Hebrew Brotherhood Cemetery in Richfield.  He never married.

Upon news of his death, Charlotte Harvey wrote, “Maury was irrepressible, a force for music, learning, fairness [and] justice. He had much learning on numerous topics, all acquired because he loved knowing, not for gain of any kind. He had wisdom, he had kindness, he had passion for what he believed in.”

The family asked that donations be made to Friends for a Non-Violent World or the Anti-Defamation League.