Pete Seeger is awesome. I knew he was one of the greatest "Folkies" right up there with Woody Guthrie. I knew that he lived in Beacon, NY which is right on the Hudson. I used to go there every week for a spell and always loved that little town and wanted to maybe try to meet him someday. That's about all I knew about Pete Seeger. Well, I had no idea, of course. I love it when I happen upon something that I already feel I know something about and then it just flattens me with humility. Humble pie, that is. Here are a few things that stuck out for me while watching "The Power of Song" the other day (once again, put in on your netflix, y'all)... His parents were traveling musicians who wanted to teach "real music" (classical) to mountain/common people and ended up learning more than they taught. He was the best banjo player in the northeast. He played and traveled with Woody who actually taught him to ride the rails. He had/has a better time playing for children than anyone, anywhere. He only has a good time playing for people if they sing with him. He built his own house with his wife, Toshi and they have lived there ever since. His adult children didn't seem like the happiest bunch, interestingly enough. He wasn't able to play on radio or tv for 17 years because he was blacklisted during the McCarthy era. When he was able to play again and the Weavers got back together he then quit because he didn't want a song of theirs used to sell cigarettes. He didn't seek commercial success but it always tried to find him. He founded the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater organization and cleaned up the Hudson. He has a strawberry festival every year which I really want to go to next year. He made an ice skating rink out of his front yard for a winter party. Basically, everything he does is about bringing people together and empowering them to do better for themselves and for others. He turned 90 last year and I really hope to see him at that next berry festival:) Aren't those pictures amazing? I do believe it's the same banjo.
3 comments:
We had the incredible fortune of meeting him at his home when Jono was working on his grandson Tao's record. His house is humble, ordinary, messy enough and set on a hilltop with a most amazing view of the river... We sat outside on the deck, drank a beer and chatted. Some interesting bits of conversation. But the image that stays for me is as we were getting ready to leave at dusk, he looked up at the sky and said, "Oh good, there's still enough light to chop some wood." and as we pulled away I looked back out of the window and there was Pete, pushing 90, chopping wood!
nice blog camster...how do you do it?
take care of everything and blog too..you are the best
-papa d
those pictures of him are just the best.
great post sister!
xo annie
and now I am two delicious degrees of separation from him too. wow!
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