March 1962 sees the 50th anniversary of Bob Dylan's debut album. Among the commemorations, one of the musicians who inspired Dylan -- folksinger/activist Pete Seeger -- is releasing his brand-new version of Dylan's ''Forever Young" as a charity track for Amnesty International. Huffington Post has invited the project's instigator and co-producer Martin Lewis to introduce the music video for the song.
And, Lewis has this proposal:
I do want to urge you to view the music video and if it moves you -- then follow Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and millions more (including me) in honoring Pete Seeger.
There's a movement afoot to have Pete Seeger become the oldest artist to ever reach the music charts! If sales of this charity track for Amnesty are numerous enough, Pete would surpass the current record-holder -- the magnificent Tony Bennett (a spry youngster of only 85!)
... how cool would it be if the guy who first topped the charts in 1950 singing Goodnight Irene with The Weavers (#1 in the US charts for thirteen consecutive weeks!) and who wrote numerous 1960s chart hits -- including Turn! Turn! Turn!, If I Had A Hammer and Where Have All The Flowers Gone? -- reached the charts again?! He's already one of the Elders of our Tribe (Homo Sapiens). For all the joy and inspiration he's bestowed on others it would be nice to see Pete also crowned as the timeless Elder of the Charts!
As the financial beneficiary for this project is Amnesty International -- and there are no big muscular record companies, highly-paid PR flacks or trendy social media promo-hustlers pushing this record -- let me be shameless in listing the handful of actions you could take to help:
• Please look at the Forever Young music video. And if you genuinely like it then please "like" it & share it!
• Please buy the Pete Seeger track from Amazon or iTunes. Sales count towards putting Pete in the charts! (If you live outside the USA access sales links through the ForeverPete.com website).
• Please go to Amnesty's website, learn about and support its human rights work