Where Has Our Pete Seeger Gone?

I bring very sad news today. Legendary folk singer Pete Seeger has died at age 95.

He started out with the folk band The Weavers. They recorded such classics as "Good Night Irene" and "Zena, Zena, Zena." Eventually, he went solo, but was blacklisted from TV for being a political activist. When he finally performed on the Smothers Brothers show, his song "Waist Deep In The Big Muddy" was cut, since the censors thought it was about President Johnson. He also wrote "Where Have All The Flowers Gone?" for the Kingston Trio, and "Turn! Turn! Turn!" for the Byrds. The latter song was based on the Book Of Ecclesiastes, except for the closing line, "A time for peace, I swear it's not too late."

Seeger also performed with fellow folkie Arlo Guthrie, and recorded an album with him. And along with Don McLean, fronted a project to clean up the Hudson River. He owned the sloop The Clearwater, on which my family and I took a ride back when I lived in Newburgh, New York. He spent his last years in Beacon, which is just across the Hudson from my hometown. That ride took place in the summer of 1974. He also performed at folk festivals on Newburgh's waterfront. You could say he was a close friend of my family.

RIP, Mr. Seeger. May you sing on in heaven.

He also wrote "If I Had A Hammer" for Peter, Paul, and Mary.