Pete Seeger continues to inspire

In fact, Pete inspired me (Jack Cheng) to write an article about him which was published in the Newton TAB this week. This is how it starts:

Pete Seeger turns 93 on May 3. He is known as a songwriter for writing songs as well-known as “Where Have All the Flowers Gone” and “Turn, Turn, Turn,” as an advocate of folk music for popularizing and adapting the songs of others, like “Oh, When the Saints” and “Hine Ma Tov,” as a performer with The Weavers and in numerous solo recordings, and as the author of a number of books of songs and musical instruction.

He is surely all of those things, but I think his primary influence has been as a music enthusiast, encouraging all of us to pick up an instrument, open our mouths and sing. Read more

The main thrust of the article is that Seeger inspired a few of us to create a family singing group, and inspired more of us to join and have weekly fun, singing and playing songs together.

He also, along with his friend Woody Guthrie, inspired Andy Rogovin to write a beautiful new song called "Pete and Woody." Our musical director Chris Eastburn added some great vocal arrangements to the song, alluding to some of Pete and Woody's best known songs. The world premiere presentation of "Pete and Woody" will be at our concert on Sunday May 6, 2012 at the Memorial Spaulding school in Newton.