Just a couple days before he passed, I had watched a PBS special called 1964 which looked back and remembered that year and all the changes going on in the country. It included some footage and quotes by Pete Seeger which I found profound. The one that stands out pertains to Bob Dylan "plugging in" and using an electric guitar at the Newport Festival. One wouldn't think this would be significant, but Pete Seeger was quite upset about it because it changed the atmosphere from one of the performer being one with the audience to it now being one of detachment. Now it was us and them....the performer only being watched by the audience. One thing Pete knew very well is the power of engaging people in all kinds of struggle. Once you cut off that connection, you lose the power of uniting people in a common cause.
He was a true folk singer always true to his ideals. He always stuck with acoustic guitar and banjo; always reached out to school children and kept them in touch with the old folk songs. He was blacklisted in the 50s and 60s due to his political beliefs and was not allowed to perform on television. He was finally able to rejoin his band, The Weavers, but when they decided to do a cigarette commercial, he was upset and quit the band. He stated they did not need money that badly.
He served in WWII but protested the Vietnam and Iraq wars. He started a campaign to clean up the Hudson River and even though people said it couldn't be done, he got it done. He built his own modest home and went without electricity and running water for many years. He was married only once and died about six months after his wife at the age of 94.
Once in awhile a person comes into this world and really makes a huge difference, and he was one of those. He wrote If I Had a Hammer and Turn, Turn, Turn....two very poignant songs. He was humility and love personified.
So here is to you, Pete Seeger. Thank you and you will be missed.
Thought: A Man Wrapped up in Himself makes a very Small bundle. Benjamin Franklin
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