BREAKING: American Toubadour, Folk Singer and Activist Pete Seeger Has Died at Age 94
Last edited Tue Jan 28, 2014, 11:33 PM - Edit history (7)
Source: Associated Press
@AP: BREAKING: American troubadour, folk singer and activist Pete Seeger has died at age 94, family says.
Pete Seeger, Songwriter and Champion of Folk Music, Dies at 94
FOLK SINGER, ACTIVIST PETE SEEGER DIES IN NY
By MICHAEL HILL
— Jan. 28, 2014 1:53 AM EST
NEW YORK (AP) — American troubadour, folk music singer and activist Pete Seeger has died at a hospital in New York. He was 94.
Seeger's grandson, Kitama Cahill-Jackson, says Seeger died Monday night after being hospitalized for six days.
Seeger gained fame as a member of The Weavers, the quartet formed in 1948 and had hits such as "Goodnight Irene."
He continued performing and recording for six decades afterward and was still an activist as recently as October 2011 when he marched in New York City as part of the Occupy Wall Street protests.
He was onstage in January 2009 for a gala Washington concert two days before Barack Obama was inaugurated.
But in the 1950s, his leftist politics got him blacklisted and he was kept off commercial television for more than a decade.
Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/folk-singer-activist-pete-seeger-dies-ny
I was there...
The Johnny Cash Show:
Janis Ian just posted this on her Facebook page. She says one of her earliest memories is of being on Pete's knee, with his banjo on the other.
From Wikipedia:
In 1960, the San Diego school board told him that he could not play a scheduled concert at a high school unless he signed an oath pledging that the concert would not be used to promote a communist agenda or an overthrow of the government. Seeger refused, and the American Civil Liberties Union obtained an injunction against the school district, allowing the concert to go on as scheduled. In February 2009, the San Diego School District officially extended an apology to Seeger for the actions of their predecessors.
Pete with Woody Guthrie:
2-Year-Old Pete with his Musical Family:
Rest in PEACE.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Saw him a few times. And I crewed on the Clearwater.
If ever there was an American ... 
--imm
. . .at the Clearwater festivals ("Revival"
in June, Clearwater's annual meeting in September, and the Pumpkin Sails in October. Like the proverbial Energizer Bunny, he was always going. . .and going. . .and going. . .
He and his beloved Toshi were soul-mates. She passed on 6 months ago, and I will always believe he ultimately died of a broken heart.
Fair Winds and Godspeed, Pete.
...That I got for myself in high school in the early '60s.
Thank you for everything, Pete Seeger. You were and always will be an incredible example to us all for a life well and courageously lived.
Never met him, but I've seen Tom Paxton and PP&M live.
Hellraiser in the best sense.
The man devoted his life to peace and music and has been part of every major peace and social justice movement, including Occupy, for over 70 years. He wrote and sang so many influential songs over the years. His most famous is probably "Where Have All the Flowers Gone" though there were many others. His mother, Ruth Crawford Seeger, was a major 20th Century composer and folk music expert in her own right.
This man's contribution to the world of music and the cause of peace and equality cannot be overstated. The world had lost one of it's greatest troubadours. Go with the goddess, dear man.
(As an old folkie and activist, this one's hitting me hard.)
A man of inspiration. He did his best to make a difference.
Safe passage to you, Pete.
Not many folks can live up to that. He was an inspiration to so many of us and his works and music will live long after his passing from this earth in our hearts and minds and continued actions for equality, liberty and opportunity for all of our citizens.
for Pete
I loved Pete Seeger. I wanted him to go on forever. What a great man!
Well Done Pete.
I was wondering how I could have been the first to post this, I am NEVER the first to know on DU!
Man what a life he led and what a great example he is.
The world has lost another great soul.
And learned a few American folk songs from this collection --
45 years ago...
RIP Pete, you left the world better than it was.
You fought the good fight!
To a man of peace. You will be missed
We lost a giant. Rest in peace, dear Pete.
Beautifully done OP. Thank you.
For over fifty years he has been my hero and an inspiration. His music and his message will live on. Spry and young at 90, like so many I had hoped he would beat the odds and live forever. But there is a great and groovy hootenanny going on tonight wherever he is.
Last edited Wed Jan 29, 2014, 12:41 AM - Edit history (1)
have listened to and worked with him as well!
I have such vivid memories of Pete, from numerous concerts of course, but also working with him at many Hudson River Clearwater Revival Festivals, picking up trash, singing late into the night after dining hall cleanups... He seemed old as dirt even back then -could have been everyone's' grandfather- yet he worked circles around us. He was always last person sweeping up at 2 or 3 a.m. And already cleaning litter from the fields early the next mornings... We could only hope to be swept up in his contrail as he zoomed around with seemingly boundless energy.
At a singer songwriter weekend, numbers of us got to sing our songs FOR Pete and he was encouraging in his critique to each of us (even if he was not terribly impressed with our songs)
It will be odd to think that Pete is no longer out there pestering the powers that be AND encouraging young singers everywhere.
The world will miss his steadfast progressive voice.
I keep hearing his oft spoken reply: (Keep) struggling on, struggling on!
Rest in power, Pete. May your powerful voice and banjo lead all those harp players in Heaven in glorious song!
