Pete Seeger created this complex song simply by adding a title, concluding line and music to verses from the biblical Book of Ecclesiates. Here is the the Byrd's (most popular) version.
This telling begins with John Lomax and Huddie Ledbetter, then moves on to Woody Guthrie, the seeds of the protest movement, Pete Seeger and left politics.
Pete Seeger marched and performed at hundreds of rallies for different unions over the years. "Pete has always had an interest in the labor movement and has been associated with unions," said, Henry Foner, who had known Seeger for more than 60 years. "Whenever there was a problem that a union had, Pete was always available."
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This week in history - largest slave revolt in U.S. history
Dave Van Ronk's ex-wife, Terri Thal, reviews the film, Inside Llewyn Davis. Llewyn Davis differs from David. - there are so few similarities. The Coens say the movie isn't about Dave, and they are correct. Most of the acting is very good. Oscar Isaac is excellent -- he's real, and he brings pathos and anger to Llewyn Davis. His performances of David's songs are good. The music? It's done well, but the movie never shows how it comes about.
Saturday's Draw the Line held over 200 demonstrations across the United States - it was a day of action marked by song - a phenomenon that is starting to become a major feature of the climate movement.
The Union Makes Us Strong takes us back, and that's not at all a bad thing. There's a purity of sound here that is moving, along with a professionalism and delivers the goods. "The Union Makes Us Strong by Peter K. Siegel and Eli Smith is a wonderful collection of old favorites, enlivened by some fancy banjo, fiddle and mandolin work and by the sweet harmony of the two singers, " writes labor historian Paul Buhle.
Sing Out! Magazine's obituary for Toshi Seeger - progressive organizer, mother, filmmaker, gardener and wife of Pete Seeger, and veteran peace and environmental activist; 2012 interview with Toshi-Aline Ohta Seeger; appreciation from the Hudson River Clearwater - a living testament to both Toshi and Pete Seeger.
Pete Seeger is often described as an icon. This is an apt term for someone who popularized the notion of socially responsible singing in the 20th century, and, along with Harry Belafonte, was among the leading combined cultural figure/activists of his time. Seeger linked Woody Guthrie to Bob Dylan, and then added a connection to Bruce Springsteen; the latter revived many of Seeger's songs in his landmark The Seeger Sessions recording.
Brooklyn native opened Woodstock in 1969.
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