Pete Seeger - My Personal Superhero

I debated with myself whether Pete would want to be identified as a superhero. I then thought, if I can tie it in with his current causes that he's still fighting for, if I can show people ways for them to get involved or to take up their own cause; then maybe he'd tolerate the term 'superhero.'

This 94 year old wore a wool cap instead of a cape. He played a banjo. Up until a year before his passing, he still went out often in public to talk and play music.

Alright, let's get to the causes FIRST! Information about the man SECOND! I believe that's the way he would have liked it.

Update: Pete Seeger passed away at the age of 94 on January 27, 2014. He will be sorely missed. What a beautiful life and a beautiful soul. -KM

The Clearwater Festival is hosted yearly by the non-profit Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc. at Croton Point Park, Croton-on-Hudson, Westchester County in New York State. It's in June so if you miss it this year you can always go the next.

The original idea over 40 years ago was to draw people's attention to the deteriorating condition of the Hudson River. The pollution made it unswimmable, it made the water and the surrounding environment unsafe for the plants and animals and fish. It was labeled a 'dead' river.

Mr. Seeger and his team's idea was to raise funds to build a sloop called the 'Clearwater.' It would sail the length of the Hudson river and hold educational classes and music festivals, bringing attention to the problem of the Hudson River. Due to it's efforts, the Hudson is now a clean, viable river.

This non-profit now uses its proceeds to educate and help protect the Hudson Water and it's tributaries. It was instrumental in helping the legislation for The Clean Water Act to get it's 'teeth' to successfully prosecute the polluters of our waterways.

This Folk Benefit Concert's purpose is to raise money and awareness of a new exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York. The opening is expected in summer 2015.

Performers include John Wesley Harding and other special guests. Mr. Seeger is honorary chairman of the event and I believe he also performed. The Exhibit will be called 'Folk City: New York and the American Folk Revival'. It will focus on how integral New York City was during the big folk music revival in the 1950s and 1960s.

Pete Seeger would be the first to say he's not perfect, he may have given his name to some organizations that he later regretted. Some years he may have been away from his family too much. But luckily he had an amazingly supportive wife and people around him. His magic is that he got positive things DONE. He had his own sort of yankee views, yet embraced the world and the idea of all of us living together in peace. He kept his integrity while being blacklisted during the McCarthy Era.

Trivia: Many people don't know he went to Harvard but dropped out after two years. He also served his country in WWII in the Pacific.

Pete on Television

I have fond memories of his public television appearances where he sang children's songs in front of an audience. I didn't understand it quite then, but when he appeared on the Smothers Brothers show in 1967, they had to fight the network to get him on the show. Of the songs Pete sang for the show, the most pertinent one 'Waist Deep in the Big Muddy' wasn't televised then, but the Smothers Brothers went to the media and the word got out about CBS's censorship policies, and finally in 1968, Pete got to re-tape it and the song was broadcast over the country.

Although I've performed drums in many rock bands, one of my dreams was to create a children's CD. During the summer of 1999 while off for the summer from teaching, I recorded in my basement studio 14 songs for my children's CD entitled Dinobone, Dinobone, Have You Heard? One of the songs I chose to do was a song he covered. He did a great version of All Around the Kitchen.The next year I sent him the CD and thanked him for being a role model for me.

He actually sent me a short note back (!) and I have it framed.

Some Background:

On March 15 and 16, 2007 the American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress paid a tribute to Charles, Ruth, Pete, Mike, Peggy, Toshi and Dan Seeger for their work in preserving our American folk music heritage. The Center presentation highlighted The Pete and Toshi Seeger Film Collection which includes their films of local music cultures during their world tour of 1963-1964. The Seegers are working with the Library to preserve the films for future generations.Story: This event was so popular that The Folklore Society of Greater Washington coordinated an additional concert March 17 2007 in which I was privileged to get TICKETS and see him perform with his brother Mike and sister Peggy at a church in Maryland. It was a great concert.

The Show:

Although his singing was more frail than it used to be, his energy and talking was the same and when he was running up and down the aisles (literally) he gave folks in the audience a chance to participate in a song by calling out hellos in different languages. I got to offer the Chinese hello 'Ni Hao' into his microphone.

ALBUMS

The Essential Pete Seeger If you've lost your collection or are a first time buyer, this is the one to get. Most of his greatest hits are here.

Which Side Are You On? The Almanac Singers with Woody Guthrie

Wasn't That a Time The Best of the Weavers The Weavers had some hits including 'Goodnight Irene' which was a song written by Leadbelly.

American Folk Game and Activity Songs for Children - Pete Seeger An essential collection of standard American children's folk songs. I've used the songs in this resource for teaching general music.

Abiyoyo - retold by Pete Seeger Book and CD A wonderfully illustrated book of the retelling of this African Tale. The CD has his own voice telling the story in his beautifuly unique way.

DVD

Pete Seeger’s 90th Birthday Concert A must for a fan! A wonderful collection of performances and memorable people at Clearwater.

BOOKS - Yes I’ve read ALL of them!

Pete Seeger: His Life In His Own Words This newest book takes his letters, articles, and journals and categorizes them for easy reference on topics.

How Can I Keep From Singing: The Ballad of Pete Seeger This is a reissue of his biography. I found this book clearly written and well indexed. Good pictures.

Hard Hitting Songs for Hard-hit People This is one of my favorites. Co-authored with Alan Lomax and Woody Guthrie, the choice of songs and the side notes and stories make this a historical masterpiece.

SONGS

All Around the Kitchen - American Folk Songs for Children - Pete Seeger

All Around the Kitchen - Dinobone, Dinobone, Have You Heard? - Kim Milai

This is such an interesting pairing of talented singers and composers who both shared a love of folk songs and who both had a desire to travel and see our great country. What they didn't share made them such an odd partnership. Pete, a non-drinking, non-smoking, and non-swearing Yankee and Woody well -- he wasn't exactly like that.

But Woody Guthrie was totally dedicated to the plight of the common people during the Great Depression and wrote about it and sang about it. With our hero in tow, they ended up traveling and performing together in the early 40's.

Here he is performing for the United Federal Labor Canteen in 1944. I believe it is the first integrated gathering of this kind in Washington D.C. With first lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

Whether you're a music fan of his or not, this man exemplifies the idea of thinking globally but acting locally. And he always does it with a song in his heart.

I suggest you see the documentary, get some of his songs. Be inspired by this hero.