I just heard about this a few minutes ago. It's very strange since I just posted a photo yesterday of a very young Pete Seeger on Facebook Forum Exceedingly Good Song Night performing in uniform at a special event in Washington, DC, in 1944: "Pete Seeger, noted folk singer, entertaining at the opening of the Washington labor canteen, Valentine's Day, sponsored by the United Federal Labor Canteen, Federal Workers of American, and Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), photographed by Joseph Anthony Horne, February 14, 1944. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt is in the audience, seated between two sailors, Prints and Photographs LC-USW3- 040956-D. Mural by Woody Guthrie in the background." I'll post the photo on the Facebook Mudcat Forum page as well.

My parents first took me to a Pete Seeger concert at Bowdoin College in the 1950s. I was able to talk with him at several political song-writing workshops in the early 1980s and was present when he helped launch the Sloop Clearwater from the Harvey Gamage Shipyard in Maine. He certainly has been an inspiration and a role model for me.

He's left us a lot of work to do but he also showed us how to do it.

Here's a verse and chorus from one of my songs that sums up the moment for me:

Now, our time is drawing near,
The farthest shore is becoming clear;
So trim the sail, make fast the sheet,
We've old friends we'd like to meet;
They'll welcome us upon the shore,
And join us in this song.

Pastures of memories,
Sifting through life's mysteries,
Golden cows and butterflies,
All on a summer's day!

Charlie Ipcar