Oscar Brand was born in 1920 in Winnipeg, Canada. He later moved to Chicago and traveled throughout America, collecting and performing folk songs along the way. He is the author of several books on folksong, including The Ballad Mongers and Bawdy Songs and Backroom Ballads. He later became the folk music director for the New York City radio station WNYC. During his career Brand was blacklisted by the right wing for performing for Communist front organizations. He was also blacklisted by the left wing for refusing to perform for other front organizations.