The Pete Seeger Appreciation Thread

Heres my attempt to kill two birds with one stone. Over in the seasons thread the theme this week is the "blue's" so I did this song for both threads. Pete will be missed for sure. Apologies to anyone that knows I should have done this song folksy:)

Where Have All The Flowers Gone~
 
And here's mine.
A popular choice but probably the only one done on an iUke.
 
What a wonderful thread. I did my favorite Pete song for Season 102, blues week, on Wednesday. Pete Seeger and the Clearwater organization he founded had everything to do with the seemingly impossible cleanup of the Hudson River, which was notoriously toxic when I was a kid, and which I regularly swim in these days. So I'm immensely grateful to and awed by Pete's powerful stand for this vision becoming a reality.

Here's the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater "theme song", which just happens to be a great 12-bar "happy blues":

 
I don't have a Pete song handy, but I love what everyone has posted. I worked with Pete when I was at the National Audubon Society, and he was one of the most generous and human people I've ever met. I think he really would have been happy with these excellent posts, especially since his first instrument was ukulele. You knew this day would come, but it still terribly sad - and then, there is the timing. A friend who was very close to Pete pointed out that he died the day after the Grammys, making the inevitable and cheesily awful tribute completely impossible. :)
 
"The Water Is Wide"

one of the most beautiful folk songs ever written. Learnt this from Pete's collected set "American Ballads" - even though it is an English song dating back to the 1600's. This is a simple instrumental arrangement I made in key of F.

 
Still having problems with the videos, so haven't been able to do anything...

But tomorrow I'll be taking part in the "Travel by River" Song Circle led by the Clearwater Sloop Singers, at the Eighth Step in Schenectady.

I've played with many of these folks before - I was the only Uke - but didn't realize who they were, only the caliber of musicianship I was in the midst of.

All of them have worked and played with Pete over the years, and a couple of them are part of the group called "The Work Of The Weavers", a four piece group recreating the performances of The Weavers.

I expect to be dazzled, and if I can get any video, I shall. Mostly, I'm going to be there to sing and play my ukuleles.


-Kurt​
 
Warning: Ukulele Content is implied, only!

Okay, by that I mean I put down my instrument to take this video (done on my camera), and the only ukulele involved in Michael Eck holding his Martin Tenor while everyone else sings and plays.

This was taken last night (February 3, 2014) at the Eighth Step Tribute to Pete Seeger - "Travel by River" Song Circle led by the Clearwater Sloop Singers, at Proctors Theater in Schenectady, NY.

We spent about 4 hours singing and talking about Pete - and I'm pretty certain I was the only person in that room who had never had the pleasure of meeting Pete - and how he had influenced our lives.

Enjoy!

 
In July 2011, when a right-wing extremist singlehandedly killed 77 people - mostly teenagers - in two brutal terrorist attacks in Norway, Seeger's song "My Rainbow Race" (translated into Norwegian by Oslo singer Lillebjørn Nilsen, a friend of Seeger's) was played on the radio and sung by people all over the country. The killer had specifically stated that he hated that particular song and its message of peace, anti-racism and brotherhood; claiming it was "Marxist". Anyway, the song remains the biggest hit single in Norway ever. It came out in the seventies, and has been popular ever since. Seeger was notified by Nilsen of its success, and its place in the general Norwegian consciousness. He was one of those rare artists whose work could bring comfort to a whole nation in distress. How can you top that?
 
The Seeger family were known for being a "music family". I love how humble Pete Seeger always came off. He always involved his audience in the music. Elizabeth Cotten was their family housekeeper. Peggy Seeger found her once in the dining room playing one of the family guitars and Elizabeth was apologetic but peggy let the family know that "Libba" could play. Mike Seeger later recorded her and she became a very well known artist herself because of their generosity in sharing her with the world. She was a lefty (as am I) and taught herself to play as a young child using the guitar upside down. She wrote "Freight Train" when she was about twelve years old. Pete Seeger played this song. Elizabeth Cotten's story is well worth the read.

Freight Train~
 
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This thread just gets better and better. What a great story, Doc, and you, too, lelouden. Great videos, Dave and Kurt!!
 
Jnobianchi said:
This thread just gets better and better. What a great story, Doc, and you, too, lelouden. Great videos, Dave and Kurt!!
Click to expand...

Agreed! Great stories and performances all around.
 
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