Remembering Pete Seeger

(*Illustration By Paul King Art) Does anyone really know anything about Pete Seeger? We know he was a folk singer/songwriter, activist and possibly a commie. Other than that, he is a mystery. Well here is what we uncovered.

Pete Seeger was born on May 3rd, in New York City during the civil war. His father made his fortune as a carpetbagger. Young Pete joined the communist party and played the banjo with the folk group ‘The Weavers’. We are not sure which is worse. During the 1950’s McCarthy kicked Seeger in the nuts and he was blacklisted. 

In the 1960’s, The Byrds had a huge hit with their rendition of Seger’s song ‘Turn, Turn, Turn’. Other Seeger songs include ‘If I had a Hammer’ and ‘Where Have All The Flowers Gone’. 

Seeger was involved with the civil rights and anti-war movement but his greatest accomplishment is that he was instrumental in convincing Columbia records to sign a young Bob Dylan. Seeger and his partner Luca Brazzi gave John Hammond an offer he couldn’t refuse. “Luca held a banjo to Hammond’s head and I told him either he signs the contract or I will play the banjo for the next 8 hours” recalls Seeger. “He signed immediately and the rest is history and Dylan is a legend.”