We Shall Overcome: An Hour with Legendary Folk Singer & Activist Pete Seeger | Democracy Now!
Today we spend the hour with the legendary folk singer, banjo
player, storyteller and activist Pete Seeger. For over 60 years Pete
Seeger has been an American icon. In the 1940s, he performed in the
Almanac Singers with Woody Guthrie as well as the Weavers. In the 1950s,
he opposed Senator Joseph McCarthy’s witch hunt and was almost jailed
for refusing to answer questions before the House Un-American Activities
Committee. He helped popularize the civil rights anthem "We Shall
Overcome." In the 1960s, he was a vocal critic of the Vietnam War and
inspired a generation of protest singers. He was later at the center of
the environmental and anti-nuclear movements. At the age of 88, Pete
Seeger continues to perform and be politically active. [includes rush
transcript]
In 2004 he recorded a song about the Iraq war
called "Bring Them Home." He was joined on the song by Ani DiFranco,
Steve Earle and Billy Bragg.
And his music continues to move listeners. Bruce Springsteen has paid
tribute to Pete Seeger by releasing "We Shall Overcome: The Seeger
Sessions." The album features a collection of songs that were once
performed by Seeger.
In 2004, Pete Seeger joined us in our Firehouse studio to talk about
his life and perform a few songs. I began by asking him about his
childhood.
