Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Pete Seeger, R. I. P.



Pete Seeger died on January 27 after a lifetime of activism, energized by his music. Even if you think you don’t know Pete Seeger, you know his music:

“We Shall Overcome”
“If I Had A Hammer” (with Lee Hays, of The Weavers)
“Where Have All The Flowers Gone?”
“Turn! Turn! Turn!”
“Goodnight, Irene”


Seeger started performing in the early 1940s, and he released his final recording, “The Storm King,” last year.

He was often at the noisy center of political activism, and civil rights and anti-war protests. He made a splash wherever he could, and he used his beloved music to get the message across.

Here’s an early video (1947) of a boyish-looking Seeger, doing what he loved best, surrounded by people doing the same thing.

And click here for the New York Times obit.

And here’s a bit of Seeger wisdom that I think will stand the test of time:
"I usually quote Plato, who said: It is very dangerous to allow the wrong kind of music in the republic."

So, hum a bit of “We Shall Overcome” and think a nice thought about Pete.

Peter Seeger, requiescat in pace.



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