Thanks Ron, I think you hit the nail on the head.

It's funny, when Bruce Springsteen said that about "nasty optimism," I really liked the term. I never thought that he was saying Pete was nasty, I thought he was using "nasty" in the same way we say, "I have a nasty cold." Like a cold that won't let go. That's the kind of optimism that Pete Seeger has.

I am a fan of Bruce Springsteen. He may be getting to know Pete late in the game, but he has always been a musician who stands up against injustice, who sings songs about ordinary working people and their struggles. He's not perfect (who is?) but I admire him a great deal, and yes, he has quite a different personality than Pete. It gives me a thrill to see them on the stage together, and I was glad that Springsteen was a part of the evening, because he has certainly helped make a whole new generation aware of Pete Seeger, his music, and his work for social justice.

I heard that Springsteen is actually on tour right now, but when they were scheduling the tour, he insisted on leaving May 3rd open so he could come back to NY for the concert. I think that says a lot about his respect for Pete Seeger -- he probably could have been making a nice tidy sum performing in an arena somewhere, but he chose to be part of the tribute concert instead. Good on him.