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Playlist: Pete Seeger

Compiled By: PRX Editors

 Credit:
Curated Playlist

Pete Seeger was an American folk singer and legend. He passed away on January 27, 2014. His birthday was May 3, 1919.

Below are picks chosen by PRX editorial staff. You can see all Pete Seeger radio on PRX by using our search.

Pete Seeger: A Life, part 1

From WAMC Northeast Public Radio | Part of the Pete Seeger: A Life series | 58:47

Celebrate and remember legendary folk singer and activist Pete Seeger in this first hour Seeger talks about his early life, influences & teachers.

800px-pete_seeger2_-_6-16-07_photo_by_anthony_pepitone_small Celebrate and remember legendary folk singer and activist Pete Seeger in this first hour Seeger talks about his early life, influences & teachers.

Pete Seeger: A Life, part 2

From WAMC Northeast Public Radio | Part of the Pete Seeger: A Life series | 58:18

In the is second hour of Pete Seeger: A Life, Seeger discusses the media, and his music career with the Almanac Singers & the Weavers.

800px-pete_seeger2_-_6-16-07_photo_by_anthony_pepitone_small In the is second hour of Pete Seeger: A Life, Seeger discusses the media, and his music career with the Almanac Singers & the Weavers.

Quite Early Morning: The Life, Times and Legacy of Pete Seeger

From A World of Possibilities | 54:58

Legendary folksinger and social activist Pete Seeger is receiving long-delayed appreciation for his immense contribution to American music and culture. In this intimate conversation, Pete recalls it all through the prism of mellowed memory, his personal reflections on his life, times and his country's future laced with the sounds of his now-quavering but still strong voice.

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Legendary folksinger and social activist Pete Seeger is receiving long-delayed appreciation for his immense contribution to American music and culture. In this intimate conversation, Pete recalls it all through the prism of mellowed memory, his personal reflections on his life, times and his country's future laced with the sounds of his now-quavering but still strong voice.

Guest: 
Pete Seeger, Folksinger, social activist, American Icon  

Pete Seeger on "We Shall Overcome"

From Blank on Blank | Part of the Blank on Blank series | 06:34

Folk music legend Pete Seeger explains the history behind the civil rights anthem, "We Shall Overcome", and why this famous song has many brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers. And he sings, too.

Peteseeger590w400h_small Interviewer: Josh Baron, Editor-in-Chief Relix Magazine

The Scene: By phone, Seeger on the way to perform in 2009

The Source: Digital recorder

See-Saw

From Clearwater Moment | 01:46

Pete Seeger shares a favorite parable about the impact of small acts in a movement

Playing
See-Saw
From
Clearwater Moment

090223peteseesaw_small "Think globally and act locally" is the only way to make a difference in the world, according to folksinger and activist Pete Seeger.  Instead of dwelling on monumental acts and tasks that affect millions, he urges us to keep our activism small and manageable, but stay persistent and with hope.

Pete Seeger: A Life (Series)

Produced by WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Celebrate and remember legendary folk singer and activist Pete Seeger with this 2-hour special. Seeger has spent his remarkable life, both on and off the stage, supporting civil and labor rights, racial equality, environmental consciousness and peace with his voice and music.

Most recent piece in this series:

Pete Seeger: A Life, part 2

From WAMC Northeast Public Radio | Part of the Pete Seeger: A Life series | 58:18

800px-pete_seeger2_-_6-16-07_photo_by_anthony_pepitone_small In the is second hour of Pete Seeger: A Life, Seeger discusses the media, and his music career with the Almanac Singers & the Weavers.

Program I: Origins

From David Dunaway | Part of the Pete Seeger: How Can I Keep From Singing? series | 52:40

Program I: Origins
How did a Harvard-educated boy become a radical, hitchhiking, banjo-playing, political activist? Program I explores Seeger’s youth and America’s folk revival of the 1930s and ‘40s.

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Program I: Rediscovering America’s Folk Music

The origins of Pete Seeger go back to his family’s 18th Century immigration from Germany to Puritan New England and continues down through his musicologist parents, Charles and Constance Seeger. Seeger’s older brothers were given violin and piano lessons, but Pete was left to the ukulele. He grew up during the Depression amidst the folk music revival of the 1930s and ‘40s—with Alan Lomax, Lead Belly, and Woody Guthrie.

Seeger’s youthful hitchhiking with a banjo collected folk music. The result was 124 records and CDs, which shape our repertoire as Americans—the songs we know words to, and might sing aloud on buses.

Program Highlights:

  • Rare interviews with Pete’s father, Charles Seeger, profile the first person to teach folk music at an American college
  • Featured artists: Arlo Guthrie, Holly Near, Si Kahn
  • Great Stories: Pete Seeger sings and tells the story of writing his first song, “66 Highway Blues”

Program II: Folk Songs and Ballads

From David Dunaway | Part of the Pete Seeger: How Can I Keep From Singing? series | 52:43

This program evokes the exciting folk music revival of the 1950s and ‘60s and the role Seeger played in it.

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Program II: Folk Songs and Ballads – Bringing Folk Music Alive

This program evokes the exciting folk music revival of the 1950s and ‘60s. It starts at Seeger’s first musical group, The Almanac Singers, who sang labor, peace songs and anti-Nazi songs in 1941. The story continues as Seeger formed the Weavers, a best-selling musical group in the 1950s, before being blacklisted. Throughout controversy, Seeger promoted folk music from many American traditions, a musical Johnny Appleseed. The musical emphasis here is ethnomusicological, on old-timey banjo tunes and on pop-folk crossover songs of the Weavers (“Kisses Sweeter Than Wine,” “Goodnight Irene”).

Program Highlights:

  • Behind-the-scenes stories from Pete Seeger, Bess Lomax, and Lee Hays about The Almanac Singers and The Weavers
  • Previously secret files reveal a history of FBI and CIA surveillance of the Hootenany crowd.
  • Interviews with Don McLean, The Weavers

Program III: Topical and Protest Songs

From David Dunaway | Part of the Pete Seeger: How Can I Keep From Singing? series | 52:41

Program III looks at the tradition of singing out for social change, and how the music of the Civil Rights, anti-war, and environmental movements galvanized Seeger’s life.

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Program III: Topical and Protest Song - Keeping a tradition alive

Music has always served as a barometer of the times, even, if those ruling paid it scant attention. In the 1960s, Seeger’s life was galvanized by music of the Civil Rights, anti-war, and environmental movements. Though already the most-recorded American musician, from children’s songs to tunes on steel drums, he was blacklisted from network television. Many well-known folk musicians such as Joan Baez and the Kingston Trio were first heard and inspired to sing folk and topical songs by Pete Seeger. Eventually, he was honored by the NEA’s Medal of Arts, a Grammy, etc.

Today, hundreds of bluegrass, blues, and folk festivals continue, bringing the folksongs Seeger taught to a younger generation. Pete Seeger’s legacy is continued by younger singers, such as Bruce Springsteen, Ani DiFranco, and the Dixie Chicks. Program Highlights:

  • Rare recordings of Seeger’s Civil Rights era songs
  • Featyred artists: Judy Collins, Oscar Brand
  • Pete talks about environmental activism and the sloop Clearwater

Bruce Springsteen: The Seeger Sessions

From Joyride Media | 59:01

One-hour music intensive radio special details how Bruce Springsteen was inspired by Pete Seeger's musical legacy while recording his latest album, We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions.

Default-piece-image-0 One-hour music intensive radio special details how Bruce Springsteen was inspired by Pete Seeger's musical legacy while recording his latest album, We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions. We Shall Overcome features many of the folk songs made famous by Pete Seeger, including the title track and "Eyes on the Prize," that helped define America's civil rights movement. Springsteen's new interpretations remind us how these songs can be both fun and give a definitive statement as to who we are as Americans right now. Bruce Springsteen, Pete Seeger, rock critic Dave Marsh, and Seeger Sessions Band members Larry Eagle and Charlie Giordano discuss the power and history of Seeger's music, and the songs recorded for We Shall Overcome. This program also introduces two new recordings by Springsteen with the Seeger Sessions Band - Pete Seeger?s anti-war anthem "Bring 'em Home" and Blind Alfred Reed?s "How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live" with new verses written by Springsteen. Both songs have been highlights of Bruce?s current tour. Broadcast Window: Begins July 1, 2006 Contact: Andy Cahn, cahnmedia@comcast.net, 215-279-7632 Length: One hour with breaks for local spots Terms: Available for all USA broadcasters to air at no cost Spots: No barter spots are built into the show.

As Pete Seeger Celebrates 94th Birthday, Biographer Reflects on Folk Music, Media, Democracy

From Rhonda J. Miller | Part of the Folk River series | 16:41

Folk music legend Pete Seeger celebrates his 94th birthday on May 3. Independent producer Rhonda Miller talks with David Dunaway, author of the Seeger biography “How Can I Keep from Singing.” Miller talked with Dunaway at his San Francisco home in April, where he hosted the Sonic Soiree, a listening lounge for independent radio producers.

Coverseegerbiobydunaway_small Folk music legend Pete Seeger celebrates his 94th birthday on May 3. Independent producer Rhonda Miller talks with David Dunaway, author of the Seeger biography “How Can I Keep from Singing.” Miller’s interview is part of her Rhode Island College master’s thesis project called “Folk River: The Vital Current of Folk Music in America.” Miller talked with Dunaway at his San Francisco home in April, where he hosted the Sonic Soiree, the area’s listening lounge for independent radio producers. 

Pete Seeger-All Mixed Up

From Peter Bochan | Part of the All Mixed Up series | 59:18

Tribute to legendary singer-songwriter, political activist and environmentalist Pete Seeger featuring interviews, music and stories from a life far-traveled and well lived. Studs Terkel, Harry Belafonte, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie and Pete himself act as our narrators.

Pete_seeger_b_w_small Featuring the Almanac Singers, the Weavers, Woody Guthrie, Harry Belafonte, Bob Dylan, Studs Terkel, Richie Havens, Stephen Colbert, Bruce Springsteen, The Freedom Singers, various children's chorus, plus interviews, live performances from Carnegie Hall, Newport, and Clearwater Music Festivals, stories, songs and clips from the extraordinary life of Pete Seeger.

I was lucky enough to work at several Clearwater Festivals and got to interview and broadcast Pete over WBAI during Father's Day Weekends and treasure every moment and memory shared with one of the founding Fathers of Folk music.

Pete Seeger and Studs Terkel

From The WFMT Radio Network | 01:04:39

Studs Terkel interviews Pete Seeger on the culture of folk music. Includes one hour interview and 7 breakout segments from the interview by Studs Terkel at WFMT/Chicago in 1955.

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Hour long

The segments are:

Clip 1: Pete Seeger talking with Studs Terkel – 1955 – Intro

Clip 2: Pete Seeger and Studs Terkel on how folk songs come from specific, real events

Clip 3: Pete Seeger and Studs Terkel on the folk revival

Clip 4: Pete Seeger and Studs Terkel on singing for kids

Clip 5: Pete Seeger and Studs Terkel on Woody Guthrie

Clip 6: Pete Seeger and Studs Terkel on people making their own music and “The Goofing off Suite” / Bach

Clip 7: Pete Seeger and Studs Terkel discussing and playing a closing lullaby “All the Pretty Little Horses”