06/26/2026
Happy 96th Birthday to the one and only June Shelley!
There is simply no one else like June. She has lived more lives than most people could fit into three lifetimes, and somehow she still has enough stories, wit, and curiosity left over to make every conversation an adventure. Calling her my friend has been one of the great privileges of my life, though at this point she's simply family.
We officially met many years ago at the Woody Guthrie exhibit at the Gene Autry Museum in Los Angeles. June was there with her first husband, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, both of them dear friends of Woody. I'd been at Jack's show at McCabe's Guitar Shop the night before. June spotted me across the room, marched over with her trademark confidence, and said, "You were at Jack's show last night, weren't you? Come meet Jack."
That single sentence changed my life.
Since then, we've shared countless adventures. My son, Jack, was named after Ramblin' Jack, and June and Jack became his godparents. That's the sort of thing June does. She doesn't simply collect friends. She gathers family.
Trying to summarize June's life feels a bit like trying to summarize the wind. Actress. World traveler. Adventurer. She spent years roaming Europe with Ramblin' Jack, worked on Exodus in Israel, acted and dubbed hundreds of films in Japan, stood in for Shirley MacLaine, lived in France for nearly two decades, became the personal assistant to The Rolling Stones while they were in exile, appeared in films shot across Europe, then returned to America for successful careers with ABC and RKO. Somewhere along the way, she found time to write a memoir that's now been optioned for a film.
And yet, impressive as that resume is, it still doesn't capture the real June.
It doesn't tell you about her generosity or her fearless spirit. It doesn't mention that her passport has probably accumulated more frequent flyer miles than most airlines.
Happy Birthday, dear June. Thank you for the adventures, the laughter, the wisdom, and for proving that the best way to move through the world is with curiosity, courage, and a suitcase that's always half-packed.
We love you, Juney Moon!
Julia & Jack