Pete Seeger's 90th Birthday
Heart: Dreamboat Annie
Length: 1×60 or 1×90
Pete Seeger, the renowned folk artist, political activist and avid environmentalist turned 90 in May of 2009. In honor of this milestone birthday, the performer gathered for a celebration at Madison Square Garden alongside a multi-generational group of artists, whose music has been shaped by Seeger's vision, on May 3rd. The concert was a benefit for the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, a non-profit, environmental organization created by Seeger to bring awareness to the importance of protecting the Hudson River and our other natural resources.
Born to a large family of musicians, young Peter first learned to play the ukulele, graduating to the five-string banjo in the mid-1930s, ultimately mastering the instrument and, in the process, galvanizing the American folk music movement. A pioneer of protest music, Seeger's anti-Vietnam War songs garnered mainstream attention in the 1960's, revitalizing the genre and paving the way for countless other activist musicians—including Bob Dylan—to achieve widespread acclaim.
Noted performers: Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, Arlo Guthrie, Joan Baez, Kris Kristofferson, Richie Havens, Roger McGuinn, Ani DiFranco, Taj Mahal, Ben Harper, Dave Matthews, and many others.
Concert highlights include Seeger leading the audience in a rousing sing-along of "Amazing Grace." Other classic favorites compelling the enthusiastic audience to join in were "We Shall Overcome" and "This Land Is Your Land.