UKC

I know he was elderly but was still a shock to read the headline
http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/jan/28/pete-seeger-dies-aged-94

Guess he's best known for his 'Where Have All the Flowers Gone?' but he wrote many more great songs

In reply to Doug:
... and stuck to his political views despite the best efforts of McCarthyism. Besides writing his own songs he also did a great job of curating older songs, especially early (pre-'60s) protest songs and songs of working people.
Like you say, no surprise he's gone, but a light gone out all the same.

In reply to Doug:

I hadn't realised he was that old. Very sad another icon of my youth gone

In reply to Doug:

Truly a great man, known to me only as one of the great treats of youtube, but that’s quite enough. RIP.

(best known I would have thought for codifying We Shall Overcome, but WHATFG is great as well, of course)

jcm

In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

maybe this is the most appropriate

youtube.com/watch?v=ivshYkrNWrg&


(the Byrds version)

youtube.com/watch?v=W4ga_M5Zdn4&

In reply to Doug:
The kind great uncle of the folk music political counter culture. I guess far more influential than well known. Sad news but a very good innings.

In reply to Doug:

End of an era and the passing of a great soul.

An example to us all.

In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

or maybe for 'if I had a hammer', or maybe 'Little boxes'

Another orbit
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/29/arts/music/pete-seeger-songwriter-and-cha...

(Seems odd to read phrases like 'Mr. Seeger met Mr. Guthrie" - is the NYT always that formal?)

In reply to Doug: Or youtube.com/watch?v=5iAIM02kv0g&

Sad news.

In reply to Doug:

Another defining song from Vietnam era

(I've linked to the DG version because this was the first version I heard)

youtube.com/watch?v=lpkqQno0AaU&

In reply to Doug:

To me, a musical genius. One of the greatest inspirations, musically, in my life.....a very sad loss

Pete

In reply to Doug:

A hugely important figure in 20th century popular music. Far more instrumental than yer Bob Dylans etc. He was still fairly active into his 90s as well, I think!

In reply to Blue Straggler:


I'm not sure I agree with you there, in fact I am sure, I don't.

In reply to Al Evans:


That's fine by me Al.

In reply to Doug:
A truly great man. His influence will increase over time.

In reply to Doug:

Definitely one of the good guys. He'll be missed. This Land is Your Land!

In reply to Doug:

I've only got one track by him on CD but it's on the stereo now.

In reply to Blue Straggler:

Did he - or did he not - try and pull the plug on Dylan's amplification at Newport?! He claimed not, but I'm not so sure...

Whatever, inspirational bloke. Glad he lived to see Obama see off the GOP, I'm sure that must have pleased him.

In reply to Rob Exile Ward:

Legend was that he threatened to take an axe to the power. Current version is that he was upset but did didn't threaten or do anything.

In reply to MikeTS:

Generally, Pete Seeger seems to have been a fantastic person, misunderstanding about amplified music aside. I particularly admired him for the way he never purported to be a working class hero, even though it must have been a temptation.

Unlike his half sister Peggy. I used to think she was OK - I saw her perform in the York SCR with Ewan McColl, and they were pretty good - but my word she was an arrogant inverted snob. I read her comments about Lonnie Donegan performing skiffle back in the 50s, something along the lines 'How we laughed at that cockney trying to sing American blues with his Cockney accent, it was pathetic!' Not to me Ms Seeger, not to me.