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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? [now 94] From: EBarnacle Date: 30 May 13 - 05:38 PM For a cognitive comment, ask me after he appears at the Clearwater Revival. |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? [now 94] From: GUEST,a friend. Date: 30 May 13 - 04:46 PM Pete's well. I saw him putting out his recycling bins yesterday and then I saw him again driving into town. |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? [now 94] From: Don Firth Date: 04 May 13 - 05:47 PM I had only been learning folk songs and struggling to get halfway competent on the guitar for about two and a half or three years when Pete Seeger came to Seattle to do a concert. It was held in the basement auditorium of Wesley House, the Methodist student organization, housed in a big, white colonial mansion across the street from the University of Washington. Pete was on a sort of whirlwind tour, and the concert was on a Tuesday night, October 5th, 1954. I believe Pete flew in Monday, and he stayed with Walt Robertson, my mentor and teacher at the time. Pete sang an amazing panorama of songs to an auditorium of about ninety people Tuesday night. Almost three hours of great songs, including his "Goofing Off Suite" and "Cumberland Mountain Bear Chase." He had indicated to Walt that he'd like to meet some of the local singers. And rather than being tired out, he was game for a late night song fest. A bunch of enthusiasts gathered at Carol Lee Waite's house about two blocks down the street and the singing commenced. After a couple of hours, several people had to leave (jobs or classes to get to in the morning), but about six of us hung in and Pete was still going strong. We sat around cross-legged in the middle of Carol's living room and passed my recently acquired Martin 00-18 back and forth, asking questions, swapping songs and guitar licks, as in: "What the heck is Leadbelly doing on the guitar in 'Black Girl?' A couple of odd-ball chords and I can't figure them out!" "Here," says Pete, reaching for the guitar, "let me show you." Absolutely unforgettable evening—and early morning! We finally broke up at about 5:00 a.m. I met him again in 1957 when he did a concert in the basketball court size auditorium in Eagleson Hall, across from Wesley House. The afternoon before the concert, he did a sort of workshop, where once again he wanted to meet local singers and swap some songs with them. That night was another generous concert, complete with sign-alongs, to an enthusiastic audience. During the concert, he introduced the crowd to the Trinidad steel drum, describing how local Trinidad musicians discovered that appropriate sized dents in the top of a 55 gallon oil drum could produce a musical tone when struck, and with enough appropriate sized dents, one could play a full scale or more. And materials were cheap. The U. S. Navy had left the beaches of Trinidad strewn with discarded empty 55 gallon oil drums. The musicians would cut off the top of the drum down about six or eight inches and make a "pan," then work out the pattern of dents. You tune a steel drum with a hammer! He then proceeded to play "Lullaby of Birdland" on his steel drum. Loud!! The steel drum really caught on in the islands, and during festivals in particular, tourists heading for Trinidad can hear the steel drums far out at sea. It has since become associated with the music of Trinidad and the Caribbean in general. Pete's a great guy. Generous with his music, and generous with any information that can help a budding folk song enthusiast. Truly, one of Nature's Noblemen. Happy birthday, Pete! And THANKS!! Don Firth |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? [now 94] From: Ron Davies Date: 04 May 13 - 09:35 AM "Harold in Italy" |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? [now 94] From: Ron Davies Date: 04 May 13 - 09:34 AM "Finally the 3rd movement" As a violist I know this one like the back of my hand--it's the only wonderful melody I can think of right off the bat which is given only to the viola section (with no adulteration by celli or 2nd violins) to make the first statement. (Aside from "Harold in Italy, in which the viola is the solo instrument, and of course therefore has a bunch of great melodies). Who knows, maybe Pete was making unconscious kinship of one despised instrument (banjo) with another (viola). But somehow I think he just liked the tune (for good reason). |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? [now 94] From: Ron Davies Date: 04 May 13 - 09:24 AM Among other things, it's amazing that Peggy Seeger's voice sounds so great--at age 79 or so. Another role model. Re: Foolin' Around Suite (1957) It would take an awful lot of studious "foolin' around" to be able to do this: Part of Beethoven's 9th--the last movement "An die Freude", based on the Schiller poem: then a snatch of "Way Out There" ( in the first "movement". ) Then the second "movement" with the Johann Schop hymn (words by Martin Jahn) which served as the source for what we think of as "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring"--Bach orchestrated it. And of course Pete throws in a snatch of the original Jahn text (auf Deutsch, sogar). The the 3rd "movement" , the first theme from Beethoven's 7th, second movement. In the hands of a banjo master like Pete, it sounds amazingly like a gypsy song. |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? [now 94] From: BK Lick Date: 04 May 13 - 02:41 AM Peggy Seeger's song Bill Moyers clip |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? [now 94] From: open mike Date: 03 May 13 - 05:04 PM what an inspiration he has been to many!!!thanks Pete!! here he is from 1994--http://billmoyers.com/2013/05/03/moyers-moment-1994-pete-seeger-on-what-it-takes-to-change-the-world/ |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? [now 94] From: GUEST,singoutmatt Date: 03 May 13 - 11:30 AM Spoke to Pete not to long ago. His word of advice that day: "Drink water." Peggy Seeger released a song in celebration of Pete's 94th birthday, you can listen to it on our blog :) https://soundcloud.com/singout/its-pete-by-peggy-seeger |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? [now 94] From: Northerner Date: 03 May 13 - 10:42 AM Happy Birthday Pete! |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? [now 94] From: GUEST,Andymac Date: 03 May 13 - 08:27 AM Happy Birthday Pete! Never met you but that doesn't stop you from inspiring myself and countless others. All the best Andy |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? [now 94] From: GUEST,SJ Lepak Date: 03 May 13 - 06:07 AM Happy 94th Pete Seeger! |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? [now 94] From: GUEST Date: 03 May 13 - 04:47 AM I'll echo that last one from Elmore - Happy birthday Pete. |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? [now 94] From: Elmore Date: 03 May 13 - 03:41 AM Pete's "Appreciation Page" lists 2 gigs he has lined up in coming months. Happy Birthday Pete. |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? From: BK Lick Date: 03 May 13 - 01:14 AM 94 today, God love him! Pete Seeger Live at Mandel Hall - Theme From Goofin' Off Suite |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? From: kendall Date: 22 Feb 13 - 07:59 PM Hey Dan, now are you glad I insisted that you call him yourself? :-) |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? From: EBarnacle Date: 22 Feb 13 - 11:26 AM Pete has always been big on getting gigs and publicity for others. When I first began booking for various events, I called him up and asked him to join us. Instead, he gave me list of at least 20 people to call. These people not only performed willingly but have remained my friends to this day. Viva Pete! |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? From: GUEST,Lavengro Date: 22 Feb 13 - 08:20 AM Good piece on him in the most recent American Songwriter. He mentions about musical succession and about musicians being a link in the chain. Good stuff. |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? From: GUEST,Beachcomber Date: 22 Feb 13 - 07:58 AM I'm twenty years "younger" than the great man, but I think that I won't wait any longer to say how much his music has meant to me. Ever since an uncle of mine,home from the States, spotted a "weavers" record in our living room, back in the 50s I think I began to have a social conscience. "You don't listen to that "COMMIE " do you ? " he queried and promptly replaced his wallet in his arse pocket. I wonder if he thought that I would be sending his dollars straight to Michael O'Riordan at Irish Communist Party HQ ? But the beautiful simplicity of Pete's music was all that I heard at that time and remembered from records played on the BBC Radio. When I actually began to get a handle on his philosophy I realised what my Republican relative feared. Good on Pete, There is every possibility that he may outlive this present era of Capitalist hegemony. |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? From: GUEST,EBarnacle on another computer Date: 21 Feb 13 - 02:34 PM Toshi has been going through a deterioration somewhat more extreme that Pete's and has become rather frail. In addition, she is as tough as ever but is resistant to anything she considers "babying herself." That said, she has been having increasing problems getting around for a long time. It took a long time to get her to accept that she should use a chair--Tinya had been fighting this with her for several years. Her biggest objection to the chair was that the cabin is/was not set up to accomodate mobility impairment and the ground outside is completely inhospitable the wheelers. |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? From: Stringsinger Date: 21 Feb 13 - 01:17 PM Why is Toshi in a wheelchair, Ed? Did she have a fall or something? |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? From: Art Thieme Date: 21 Feb 13 - 11:59 AM He is still a huge inspiration to me in these times of lessened abilites. He is 20 years older than I am-----and keeps on keeping on. Recently I bought the first Weavers at Carnegie Hall CD. Here it dissapeared yesterday at the nursing home we inhabit. I was really ppissed. Art |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? From: GUEST,Ed Renehan Date: 21 Feb 13 - 10:08 AM I saw Pete not long ago and speak to him regularly on the phone. He is doing swell, although his short-term memory is sometimes a bit fuzzy. He was on the Colbert Report a couple of months ago and demonstrated a barbed wit to match Colbert's. Last week his hometown of Beacon dedicated the auditorium at the high school as "The Pete and Toshi Seeger Auditorium," and both Toshi and Pete were there. Pete will turn 94 in May. Toshi turned 90 last summer. Sadly, she is in a wheelchair most of the time. Pete will be playing at Clearwater's Great Hudson River Revival this June, and at other Clearwater and non-Clearwater events here and there. He played Carnegie with Arlo and family back in November. He's still got a lot of life left in him. Both his parents, whom I knew, lived well into their nineties. And on top of good genes, Pete has always lived and eaten something like a Quaker, and kept healthy - slim, exercised, no liquor, etc. Most importantly, he is active and engaged. All the best, ----- Ed R. |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? From: Elmore Date: 19 Feb 13 - 01:35 PM Dead? Hell, he's still doing the occasional gig. |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? From: GUEST,Dani Date: 19 Feb 13 - 06:48 AM I feel like we would actually know if Pete moved on. We would feel it. This world will be heavier, and sadder. But maybe only for a few minutes, until someone starts singing Jacob's Ladder, and we all start to join in. Dani |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? From: gnu Date: 19 Feb 13 - 06:05 AM My question should be now removed as well. Nobody will really understand my disgust at such a mean spirited childish "joke". In this case, it appears brevity can be the sole of twit. |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? From: banjoman Date: 19 Feb 13 - 05:39 AM Only met him once many many years ago at a fog bound airport. Never forgotten that. A most wonderful human being. |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? From: Dan Schatz Date: 18 Feb 13 - 10:14 PM Thanks to the MudElf who removed the malicious post from a guest spreading the false rumor that Pete died. I'm glad it's a hoax. Dan |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? From: EBarnacle Date: 18 Feb 13 - 09:02 PM Very true, especially when attempting to stand on one's authority. |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? From: Dan Schatz Date: 18 Feb 13 - 08:42 PM It can be very hard to forgive somebody for being right. D |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? From: EBarnacle Date: 18 Feb 13 - 07:56 PM This is not the first time Pete has been declared dead. In the late '80's my niece's music teacher introduced a song as being "by that famous dead folk musician, Pete Seeger." When my niece protested that Pete was still alive and that I performed with him, the teacher said she was wrong. My niece checked with me and I told her that I had been in a rehearsal with him the night before. My niece reported this to the "teacher," When told that her uncle was a liar, my niece was nearly reduced to tears. I went to Pete and told him of the situation, whereupon he sat down and wrote my niece a letter reassuring her that he was still alive and healthy. Needless to say, when my niece sdhowed this to the teacher, she was rather nasty and had it in for her for the remainder of the year. If this had happened today, I would had the teacher disciplined for inppropriate behavior. |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? From: Dan Schatz Date: 18 Feb 13 - 07:09 PM Here is an article about the hoax. DO NOT BELIEVE THE RUMOR. As of today, Pete is just fine. Old, yes. But still kickin'. I really feel for Pete and his family. Their phone must be ringing off the hook. Nobody deserves this sort of treatment. Dan |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? From: Don Firth Date: 18 Feb 13 - 06:56 PM Whoever-- NOT FUNNY!! Don Firth |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? From: Dan Schatz Date: 18 Feb 13 - 06:52 PM HOLD THE PRESS! The obituary above has a number of mistakes - among others, it has next Tuesday's date on it. I've traced it back to a malicious Twitter rumor. So PLEASE, send an elf to erase the post. PETE IS ALIVE AND WELL! Warmly, Dan |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? From: gnu Date: 18 Feb 13 - 06:43 PM WTF? |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? From: GUEST,Philippa Date: 18 Feb 13 - 06:41 PM he sang and played a few songs at the Irish American Artists and Writers awards ceremony last autumn. His voice was weaker than it used to be and his walking is stiff but he could play the banjo quite well and his memory isnt so bad he cant introduce his songs and sing them and chat with people (hearing loss was a problem for conversation in a crowd). Seems to have as positive an attitude as ever. If we could all age as well as Pete ... |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? From: gnu Date: 18 Feb 13 - 06:29 PM "it will be the arts that save us" I agree. For me, it is the love of the arts that truly makes us human. If we fight for the arts, we save ourselves, whether that be as individuals or as the human race collectively. I am an engineer... The Invisible E. Engineers build the infrastructure to allow you to drink clean water, to drive to work, to eat cheap food, to go to a hospital... to post your thoughts here. But, without the arts, all that is left is survival and who would care to live in such a world? Not me. |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? From: Dan Schatz Date: 18 Feb 13 - 06:13 PM Pete called me a couple of months ago - we had a wonderful conversation. Among other things, he talked about the arts - he said that if humanity survives another hundred years, it will be the arts that save us - musical arts, visual arts, dance, literature and humor. He is one of the wisest human beings it has ever been my pleasure to know. Dan |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? From: frogprince Date: 18 Feb 13 - 03:53 PM It's several years now since Pete spoke in terms of feeling that he needed to withdraw from the scene because of memory problems. Looks like he may have surprised himself by continuing to function, create, and contribute quite well. Good for him, and for all of us. |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? From: maeve Date: 18 Feb 13 - 03:38 PM Hello, wonderful Art! I found an NPR interview for you to enjoy- "Pete Seeger at 93" from last fall: http://www.npr.org/2012/10/27/163728141/at-93-pete-seeger-keeps-the-fire-burning-low Maeve |
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Subject: RE: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? From: Kit Griffiths Date: 18 Feb 13 - 03:02 PM Me too -but I didn't realise they'd invented a seabird... |
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Subject: How is Pete Seeger doing at 90 now????? From: Art Thieme Date: 18 Feb 13 - 02:45 PM For more than sixty years Pete Seeger has been the definitive folksinger for me. As a guy with no male role model, I could pick and choose my own. Pete became that for me. As I saw it, Pete, Woody and Cisco invented the tern. Sure, there were others of import, ut Pete headed the queue. Art Thieme |
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