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Folk Alley visits Peggy Seeger
Focus On: Peggy Seeger
When Peggy Seeger was a tiny girl, her mother filled the family home with folk recordings collected by music historian Alan Lomax. Ruth Crawford Seeger, a talented composer in her own right, had been charged with transcribing the music for the Library of Congress - a task that required multiple replayings of each song until little Peggy felt folk music in her bones. Of course, when Pete Seeger is your older brother, it would be difficult not to be influenced by the power of traditional music. Of the Seeger siblings, all but one formed a career in music (brother Mike formed the New Lost City Ramblers and continues to perform).
Along with the music came a dedication to activism that was passed down from her father, Charles. Through her songwriting and theatrical works, Seeger has given voice to feminist, anti-war, workers' rights and other progressive issues. After meeting singer/songwriter/activist Ewan MacColl in London while she was in her early 20s, Seeger suddenly became the partner of an established artist and political force. The two moved in together and went on to have three children before Seeger officially married MacColl, with whom she worked on a variety of projects - both musical and for the stage. She was his inspiration as well, acting as muse for songs such as the Grammy-winning "The First Time Ever I Saw Her Face."
Since MacColl's death in 1989, Seeger has continued with her solo work, adding to her own rich legacy of music that adds contemporary activism to the traditional music roots that have with Seeger nearly her entire life. In 2007, Seeger released Two Score and Ten, a live concert recording featuring her brothers, Waterson:Carthy, Billy Bragg and others in honor of her 70th birthday.
Yip Harburg
His name might not be familiar to many, but his songs are sung by millions around the world. Today, a journey through the life and work of Yip Harburg, the Broadway lyricist who wr
ote such hits as “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” and who put the music into The Wizard of Oz. Born into poverty on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Yip always included a strong social and political component to his work, fighting racism and poverty. A lifelong socialist, Yip was blacklisted and hounded throughout much of his life.
Taking us on today’s trip through the music and politics of Yip is his son, Ernie Harburg. First, we’re going to go through Yip’s early life, his collaboration with the Gershwin’s, through “Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?” Then we’re going to take an in-depth look at The Wizard of Oz. And finally, we’ll hear a medley of Yip Harburg’s Broadway songs and the politics of the times in which they were created. [includes rush transcript]
Utah Phillips on Democracy Now
Utah Phillips, the legendary folk musician and peace and labor activist, died earlier this year at the age of seventy-three. Over the span of nearly four decades, Utah Phillips worked in what he referred to as “the Trade,” performing tirelessly throughout the United States, Canada and Europe.
The son of labor organizers, Phillips was a lifelong member of the Industrial Workers of the World, known as the Wobblies. As a teenager, he ran away from home and started living as a hobo who rode the rails and wrote songs about his experiences. In 1956, he joined the Army and served in the Korean War, an experience he would later refer to as the turning point of his life. In 1968, he ran for the US Senate on the Peace and Freedom Party ticket.
For the past twenty-one years he lived in Nevada City, where he started a nationally syndicated folk music radio show. He also helped found the Hospitality House homeless shelter and the Peace and Justice Center. We spend the hour with an interview with Phillips from January 2004. [includes rush transcript
David Rovics in Japan again
Latest: Yip Harburg, Utah Phillps, David Rovics
David Rovics will be playing in Japan again in March 2009. Watch this space for more information.
Here is his performance from the summer of 2008.