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This Land Is NOT Your Land - Woody Guthrie |
Influential folk musician, poet, philosopher, political activist,
Almanac Singer, and traveling balladeer who penned such classics
as This Land Is Your Land, I Ain't Got No Home, and Pretty Boy
Floyd, among many others. If there ever was an artist of his era
that epitomized the word "pauper", Woody Guthrie was it. He was
also a quintessential American folk hero of the 20th Century, and
paved the way for such artists as, Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, and
many others before succumbing to Huntington's Disease in October
of 1967.
"As you go through Life, You will meet some funny men. There's
some who will rob you with a gun, some with a fountain pen." So
said the legend and national treasure who, unfortunately, never
did manage to amass one for himself. Born Woodrow Wilson Guthrie
on July 14, 1912, Woody spent much of his early years in Oklahoma
and Texas. Both Woody's parents were political activists, and his
father Charlie one time campaigned as a candidate. After WWI,
however, the Guthrie family had fallen on hard times. His father
lost his land holdings during the oil boom of eastern Oklahoma,
and Woody was forced to rummage through trash piles in search of
scrap to sell for money. He also started dabbling in music at this
time, and played for change on the streets.
As the Great Depression swept across the country, Woody traveled
extensively looking for work and writing songs that reflected the
troubled times. Eventually, he made his way to California as one
of the "Dust Bowl" refugees. It was here that he began singing to
migrant workers and laborers in government camps. Joining up with
actor Will Geer, Woody became an active voice in decrying the
economic injustices that plagued most Americans.
Around 1940, Woody moved to New York, playing with the likes of
Pete Seeger and Leadbelly, and finally found some modicum of
success. It was short lived, however, as Woody didn't take too
kindly to the pressures of having to perform to someone else's
standards. Although he had money for the first time in his life,
he was restless and unhappy. According to those closest to him,
Woody never handled success very well. Soon, he traveled to Oregon
where he sold his talent for ten dollars a song to the Bonneville
Power Administration, the people charged with building a dam in
the Pacific Northwest as part of Roosevelt's New Deal. Woody made
a total of $266.66 for a month's worth of work writing songs that
would make people like the idea of public power. To Woody, the dam
was symbolic of working class solidarity.
By the 1950's and 60's, Woody's health was starting to
deteriorate, and he was diagnosed with Huntington's Disease, a
nervous system disorder that had also taken his mother. Woody
Guthrie died penniless in New York's Brooklyn State Hospital.
During his final days, many up and coming young folk singers such
as Bob Dylan would pay homage to their spiritual and musical
father. And the man who scribbled "This Machine Kills Fascists" on
his guitar, would live on to inspire generations to come.
Visit the Woody Guthrie Foundation
For more information on Woody Guthrie, check these titles out:
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