PETE SEEGER: THE POWER OF SONG

I watched this stirring documentary at Dobie on Saturday to a completely empty theater. Yea, that is right, I was the only person in the audience. This is very contrary to Pete Seeger`s idea of the importance of audience participation. I`m beginning to wonder about this current generation; I do not really know what they value? So much important history was covered, that I also was reviewing all of the events of my life. This would include my early enthusiasm for folk music, which withered once the sixties morphed to psychedelia. Peter, Paul, and Mary were wonderful though, and The Byrds version of Turn, Turn, Turn is very stirring. My very favorite is the Kingston Trio however. I have been a big fan of Joan Baez too. Much significant data is integrated into this biography of Pete Seeger; his condemnation as a Communist comes to mind first. Eventually he was vindicated, but not before years of loathing were cast on him. His mastery of the banjo is properly chronicled in this documentary also. He studied many of the local forms of music such as bluegrass. He was affiliated with John Lomax, the musicoligist. This will warrant considerable more study. I would enjoy a collection of his popular pieces, but could not find one yesterday when I went to Waterloo. This may include: We Shall Overcome, If I Had a Hammer, Goodnight Irene, Waist Deep In the Big Muddy, & Where Have All the Flowers Gone? This was a talking head documentary too, and had testomonials from Bob Dylan, Natalie Maines, Joan Baez, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Paxton, and his children. Pete really influenced the peace movement, the Civil Rights Movement, the Labor Movement, environmental causes, and the downtrodden in general. His major cause has been his support for working people and the unions. He is not a popular singer, but only cares about trying to influence society in order to help surpressed people. This is so rare today that we can barely recognize that such a figure could even exist. I wish more young people could see this, so that they could comprehend such a person. The Dixie Chicks at least have carried this batan of defiance against Bush and the Iraq War, and are emerging unscathed. Pete Seeger was against the Vietnam War with a strong voice and he too has proven to be right in his thinking. I loved his appearance on the Smothers Brothers singing Waist Deep in the Big Muddy, and it took courage for the Smothers Brother to insist on letting him sing it on their popular show! Oh, the footage of Woody Guthrie was probably the best! Here is good link for Pete Seeger, the Pete Seeger Appreciation Page.