Bret Harding
In music news this week – the passing of folk music legend, Pete Seeger. The impact of this man on American folk music and a generation or more of singer/song writers cannot be understated. If the goal of a performer is to make a difference, this man not only made a difference on a personal level but his influence continues to reverberate on through those who had the privilege of passing through his sphere of influence.
Pete Seeger was born in New York City on 3rd May, 1919 and died there on January 27, 2014. He married Toshi-Aline Ota in 1943 and cited his wife as a blessing and the reason the rest of his life was even possible. They remained married until Toshi-Aline died in July 2013. They had four children, the first of whom died while Pete was deployed overseas – he never got to see his son and six grandchildren.
Historically important during the turbulent years of American politics, Pete Seeger was black-balled in the music industry as a result of his decision to invoke his right to free speech and to refuse to answer questions put to him during the McCarthy era of politics in the 1950s. Yet he still managed to become synonymous with the best folk music movement the early 60’s had to offer. A decent man with strong convictions standing his ground against oppressors. Stirring stuff. Inspiring stuff.
Apart from arranging and popularising what was to become We Shall Overcome (originally We Will Overcome) the era of the peace protest was when and where some of Pete’s most famous work got its most public hearing. Songs like Little Boxes (made of ticky tacky) and Turn Turn Turn were hits for Seeger in his own right but also for many others such as The Byrds. Other songs made famous during the 60’s include Where Have All the Flowers Gone, co-written with Joe Hickerson and If I Had a Hammer with Lee Hays.
Pete also had a musical family who readily and publicly acknowledged his influence on them and their music. These artists include Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and others of the early folk artists to find commercial success in New York with Columbia Records together with others from a variety of genres and ages as diverse as Johnny Cash, Bruce Springsteen and Irish rockers U2.
In 2009 Peter Seeger’s 90th birthday was celebrated in concert. In closing, here’s Bruce Springsteen’s tribute to Pete Seeger from that concert, followed by a clip featuring Bruce and Pete Seeger at President Obama’s Inauguration concert with Woodie Guthrie’s classic This Land is Our Land.
Enjoy.
Vale Peter Seeger, 27th January 2014, aged 94.
Bruce’s Introduction At Pete Seeger’s 90th Birthday Concert
Peter Seeger & Bruce Springsteen
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