Pete Seeger in His Own Words

By Pete Seeger, Rob Rosenthal and Sam Rosenthal

Narrated by John Chancer

Long an icon of American musical and political life, Pete Seeger has written eloquently in a diverse array of publications but nowhere is his life story more personally chronicled than in these, his private writings, documents and letters stored for decades in his family barn. Pete Seeger: His Life in His Own Words, collects Seeger's letters, notes, published articles, rough drafts, stories and poetry - creating the most intimate picture yet available of Seeger as a musician, an activist and a family man. The book covers the passions, personalities and experiences of a lifetime of struggle - from the pre-WWII labour movement and the Communist Party, to Woody Guthrie, the Civil Rights movement and the struggle against the war in Vietnam. The portrait that emerges is not of a saint, but a flesh-and-blood man, struggling to understand his time and his place.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• Release date: Dec 17, 2020
• ISBN: 9780367624552

Pete Seeger

Pete Seeger was America’s best-known folksinger and storyteller whose career spanned over seven decades. Starting out in the union movement of the 1940s and continuing through the blacklist, the civil rights and peace movements of the 1950s and 60s, the environmental movement of the 70s and 80s, and beyond, Pete Seeger stayed current to multiple generations, standing out as a voice for justice and human dignity. His groups such as The Almanac Singers and The Weavers brought folk music onto the national airwaves for the first time, and his songs 'If I Had A Hammer' and 'Turn, Turn, Turn' became hugely popular after being recorded by artists such as Peter, Paul & Mary, and The Byrds. Pete’s almost constant touring of schools and camps with his legendary banjo on his back inspired countless young musicians to follow in his footsteps writing and singing songs of substance. He spent his later years striving to find ways for people to understand their human commonality in an increasingly divided world. His accolades include multiple Grammy Awards, the Kennedy Center Honors, and induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.