Two things to add to what I wrote earlier.

First, amid the celebrations of Pete's extraordinary life and career in which his broadest impact was made with political and other singer-songwriter material, it's less often mentioned what an extraordinary traditional-style musician he was. Though he preferred to be called, as is correct, a singer of traditional songs, he had the style down pat when he wanted.

His best work in this line is still his first LP, "Darling Corey" (Folkways, since reprinted with Goofing-Off Suite), but it's well to remember he re-embraced the traditional for his wonderful American Ballads and Folk Songs LPs right in the middle of his most politically active period.

You only had to hear his astonishing recreation of Kentuckian Walter Williams' banjo spectacular, "East Virginia," or "Darling Corey," "John Riley" or "Danville Girl" to hear what early traditional song meant to him. It buoyed him all during his career, even as he turned to many other kinds of songs.

Second, I think few remember what an startling unsung role he played in the early folk movement during the 1950s as a true "Johnny Appleseed"-by-mail. He conducted at his own expense (when he had all too little money himself), a tremendous correspondence linking up young folkies, me among them, with singing weekends and other gatherings, and putting us in touch with one another. His practice was to send on what he received from one and swap back something he got from another, for an exciting cross-fertilization when folk singers were still as rare as hen's teeth, and we all scarcely knew what we were trying to do. Kind of an early internet.

Still realizing what a blow his loss is.

Bob