Woody: 3 Chords and the Truth - BBC 19 April

Subject: RE: Woody: 3 Chords and the Truth - BBC 19 April
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 30 Apr 19 - 06:00 PM

Agreed, meself. That was such a valuable post and it's great for us lovers of Woody to think that there's a Mudcat poster in 2019 who was actually there with Woody. Don't reveal yourself if you don't want to but do tell us much, much more!

Subject: RE: Woody: 3 Chords and the Truth - BBC 19 April
From: meself
Date: 30 Apr 19 - 04:01 PM

For the historical record, it would be worthwhile to know who you are, GUEST. However, if you prefer to remain anonymous, we'll just have to live with it!

Subject: RE: Woody: 3 Chords and the Truth - BBC 19 April
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Apr 19 - 03:25 PM

Woody has become a mythological person mainly through PR. Not many people really knew him well. Even his own children knew him when he was ill with Huntington's.

When I knew him, he was just about to be consumed by the horrible disease but still maintained a fighting spirit. He wrote voraciously in those days in Topanga Canyon. Account books were piled up by the pot bellied stove in Will Geer's seed shack filled with verses and drawings.

He didn't like talking about politics with most people. He preferred making music. When we attended the same parties we wound up in the corner, Derroll Adams, Woody and I refraining
from the social chit chat and played the songs we loved. I could play the banjo, (not as well as Pete or Derroll) but enough so that Woody enjoyed our sessions.

In those days when I heard "This Land is Your Land", no one thought too much about it. It was another of those folk songs you could hear in Washington Square or at Hootenannies.

Bob Dylan's singing voice was an imitation of Jack Elliott's impression of Woody's voice when Woody had not been singing as well as he had when in his youth. Woody was a very musical performer.

Woody's three chords may have ensued but chances are BBC has mythologized his truth.

Woody was a socialist and maybe in the purest sense a kind of communist that defied genteel mores and cultural ideals such as marriage and making lots of money. Apparently he was still religious and used "When The World's On Fire" for the tune of "This Land". His idea of God would shock many contemporary preachers and religious acolytes.

My thesis is this: Folk music in the revival sense is another branch of show business and hype and PR enhance the mythology.

Subject: RE: Woody: 3 Chords and the Truth - BBC 19 April
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 29 Apr 19 - 07:41 AM

Good programme in what has been a very good series. The added attraction was that on April 7th we had Will Kaufman as guest at Tigerfolk, Long Eaton performing his "Woody Guthrie and Old Man Trump" presentation where he modestly informed us that he was a consultant on the programme when, in fact, he was on screen for quite a bit of the show.

Subject: RE: Woody: 3 Chords and the Truth - BBC 19 April
From: Mr Red
Date: 29 Apr 19 - 03:35 AM

Saw most of it. A lot, but not all, of footage has been broadcast before.

Subject: RE: Woody: 3 Chords and the Truth - BBC 19 April
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 29 Apr 19 - 02:00 AM

Yeah, Ani DiFranco.

Dave H

Subject: RE: Woody: 3 Chords and the Truth - BBC 19 April
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 28 Apr 19 - 05:34 PM

I'd recorded this but I've just watched it. What a beautiful programme, no doubt with a bit of gloss put on things, but who cares, and some lovely images of Woody that I've never seen before. And I want to make metaphorical love to Ani DiFranco...

Subject: RE: Woody: 3 Chords and the Truth - BBC 19 April
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 16 Apr 19 - 05:31 AM

In the same spot one week later: John Lee Hooker.

Subject: RE: Woody: 3 Chords and the Truth - BBC 19 April
From: The Sandman
Date: 16 Apr 19 - 02:57 AM

thanks

Subject: Review: Woody
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 13 Apr 19 - 03:07 PM

On BBC 4 next Friday 9pm ' Woody Guthrie, 3 Chords and the Truth ' a profile of the legendary American sonwriter. [ so says the BBC ]


Dave H