Maine native Will Holt, who turned his love and deep appreciation of music into a successful singing/songwriting career, died Sunday at his home in Los Angeles.

Will Holt established himself as a folk song performer in the 1950s and 1960s.

In a 2013 interview with Portland Monthly magazine, Holt said he was in Chicago where he was preparing to open for a nightclub act. He said he used a swizzle stick and a glass to tap out the melody for the song that would become known as “Lemon Tree.” Holt also wrote the song “Raspberries, Strawberries”, which was recorded by the Kingston Trio in 1960.