Woody Guthrie singing, Smithsonian Folkways image – The sticker on Woody’s guitar reads, “This Machine Kills Fascists.” Woody regarded music as a great tool of democracy and freedom.
July 14, 2012, marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Woody Guthrie, folksinger, union organizer, chronicler of American values, troubles and change.
We’re already more than halfway through Woody’s centennial year — and what celebration took place at Millard Fillmore’s Bathtub? History slips by so fast.
Much celebration remains. Get out your calendar and figure out which events you can join in.
Poster for the 2012 Woody Guthrie Folk Festival in Okemah, Oklahoma
Wonderfully, a website celebrates Woody’s 100th:
- Don’t forget the always-available, official Woody Guthrie website
- Check out the Woody Guthrie Song of the Day (he wrote more than 1,000 songs, and there are only 365 days in most years, 366 in the odd, long one)
- Woody’s son, Arlo, will sing with a slew of other Guthrie family members in a celebration of Woody’s centennial, in Central Park, New York, July 15
- In Okemah, Oklahoma, two days remain on the 2012 Woody Guthrie Folk Music Festival (Associated Press story on the celebration in Oklahoma, via San Jose Mercury News)
- Several Centennial Concerts are planned, in conjunction with the Grammy Museum
- Here’s a more detailed calendar of events for Woody’s 100th celebrations
Perhaps fittingly, Millard Fillmore’s Bathtub hits the road again, today — off through Oklahoma.
In the interim, get out there, get the history, and join in the chorus!
- “Dustbowl Troubador,” at DemocracyNow.org
- Woody at PBS’s American Masters
- At the Library of Congress, Woody Guthrie and the Archive of American Folk Song
- NPR, in print and audio, “At 100, Woody Guthrie still resonates”
- NPR features Woody’s music at The Mix
- Fresh Air celebrates Woody Guthrie at 100
- How is Pete Seeger doing? He just turned — what? — 93; will he be able to make many of these events? (Book signing in New York, July 18 . . .) (Let’s start the Pete Seeger Centennial a few years early, maybe — like now . . .)
More, Other Sources:
- Woody Guthrie: the return of a pariah | Billy Bragg (guardian.co.uk)
- ArtsBeat: John Mellencamp’s Poetic Tribute to Woody Guthrie (artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com)
- Country Joe McDonald will echo Woody Guthrie’s sound at Woodyfest (hooplanow.com)
- Woody Guthrie Centennial: Singer Joel Rafael Celebrates, Co-Writes With Woody (jack.radio.com)
Page from booklet of Woody Guthrie sheet music and lyrics (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Millard Fillmore's Bathtub 
[…] Woody Guthrie’s 100th birth anniversary came earlier in 2012 […]
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