WTF: What The Folk
Friday May 9th
Chebucto Coffee, 6430 Chebucto Road
6:30 gathering, 7pm performance
Peter "Pete" Seeger (May 3, 1919 – January 27,
2014) was an American folk singer and activist. A fixture on nationwide radio
in the 1940s, he also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a
member of The Weavers, most notably their recording of Lead Belly's
"Goodnight Irene", which topped the charts for 13 weeks in 1950.
Members of the Weavers were blacklisted during the McCarthy Era. In the 1960s,
Pete re-emerged on the public scene as a prominent singer of protest music in
support of international disarmament, civil rights, counterculture and
environmental causes.
A prolific songwriter, his best-known songs include
"Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" (with Joe Hickerson), "If I
Had A Hammer / The Hammer Song" (with Lee Hays of The Weavers), and
"Turn!Turn!Turn!" (lyrics adapted from Ecclesiastes). All have been
recorded by many artists both in and outside the folk revival movement and are
sung throughout the world.
Pete was one of the folksingers most responsible for
popularizing the spiritual "We Shall Overcome" (also recorded by Joan
Baez and many other singer-activists) that became the acknowledged anthem of
the 1960s American Civil Rights Movement. In the PBS American Masters episode
"Pete Seeger: The Power of Song", Pete stated that it was he who
changed the lyric from the traditional "We will overcome" to the more
singable "We shall overcome".
Pete Seeger died on January 27, 2014, at the age of 94.
According to his grandson, Kitama Cahill-Jackson, Pete died peacefully in his
sleep around 9:30 p.m. at New York's Presbyterian Hospital, where he had been
for six days. Family members were with him at the time of his death.
Cahill-Jackson said Pete was still as active as ever, out chopping wood ten
days prior to his death.
In a moving tribute, President Barack Obama noted that Pete
had been called "America's tuning fork" and that he believed in
"the power of song" to bring social change, "Over the years,
Pete used his voice and his hammer to strike blows for workers' rights and
civil rights; world peace and environmental conservation, and he always invited
us to sing along."
So... on Friday, May 9th... WTF! invites you to do just
that! Join us please in a celebration of the life & legacy of Pete Seeger.
Bring a Pete song or a story; maybe a song or story inspired by Pete and we'll
pass the night in good company remembering Pete, reminiscing, laughing and best
of all... lustily singing along.
Oh... and who better to lead us in this WTF! tribute to a
man of unflinching integrity than our own man of unflinching integrity...
GUEST HOST CLARY CROFT
... who actually met Pete and has some fascinating tales to
tell. And a little black bird told me that there will be a world-premiere
theatrical event involving Pete taking place on our WTF! stage too. Seating
space will be at a premium but in the spirit of Pete... WE SHALL OVERCOME :)
Margo
"For reminding us where we come from and showing us
where we need to go, we will always be grateful to Pete Seeger".
WTF! is an artistic outreach program of the Helen Creighton
Folklore Society. We meet every second and fourth Friday of the month at
CHEBUCTO COFFEE, 6430 Chebucto Road, corner of Chebucto & Kline in Halifax
where Mike's extraordinary culinary fare is approaching legendary status. Come
early for a bite and stay for the entertainment which starts around 6:30 and
goes until 9:00ish. As always... admission is by free-will donation towards the
Society's work.
WTF: Normal or abnormal hosts: Cindy Campbell Stone and
Margo Carruthers, Helen Creighton Folklore Society,
www.helencreighton.org
