Musicians Share Their Pete Seeger Stories

In the two days since songwriter, activist and folk music legend Pete Seeger died, Soundcheck has been asking listeners and readers for your Pete Seeger stories. We got a ton of amazing responses from people sharing memories of Seeger -- be it the time you met him, sang along with him in concert, or were simply influenced by his work.

You can check out those stories here. We also heard from some musicians who were moved to pay their respects to the folk icon. 

Nora Guthrie, daughter of folk musician Woody Guthrie:

[Pete Seeger]'s as close to a dad as I ever had. It's funny, they met when they were kids -- it's hard to think of them in that light. But Woody was 27 when he met Pete, who was 19 or 20 at the time, so I always ask people to kind of half close your eyes and imagine these two young guys together playing music, banjo, fiddle, guitar and stuff like that. And that's really where the flame of their friendship was born. I've been sitting on Pete's knee my whole life.

Although I grew up with Pete my whole life, when the bell really went off and had meaning to me, I was 12 years old. A boy that I was going to camp with sat down and serenaded me on guitar with "The Water Is Wide"... And I immediately fell in love with the boy because the song was so beautiful. And I have to laugh because, in retrospect, I have to remember how many people not just marched with Pete and protested with Pete, but fell in love with Pete. He was a real cupid to a lot of people. And songs like "The Water is Wide," and "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine," are quintessential love songs. He was a real romantic.

I saw Pete on Saturday; we spent the day with him and his family in the hospital. And when you grow up with my dad and Pete and all the Almanac Singers, and the Weavers, and Ramblin Jack Elliott, and everybody that came after that, these people have altered my cells, whether I like it or not. And so I was laughing and I was saying there's as much of him that's in me as there is of him outside of me.

And we had a really beautiful moment because Pete used to sing "Hobo's Lullaby" when he ended a show about my dad, or whenever he wanted to sing his song to my dad. And my daughter and I were able to say our goodbyes and we sang "Hobo's Lullaby" to Pete. And he closed his eyes and I feel like there was this huge, real connection between where he was going and my dad, and Cisco [Houston], and Lead Belly, and Sonny Terry, and everybody that's up there waiting for him. Because he's their leader, you know? They're all musicians, but Pete was a leader, so they're waiting for him to say "What do we sing now, Pete?" And it's always been like that, and always will be like that.

Judy Collins, singer and songwriter:

I met Pete in 1961. I was going up to Harold Levinthal's office. Harold managed Pete Seeger, the Weavers, Arlo, and just about all of us. And as we walked into his office, behind the couch... and sound asleep, was Pete Seeger, with his banjo clutched beside him. And Harold said to me, "Now, don't wake him up. Shhh, let's tiptoe past him into my office." He said "he has three shows tomorrow, they're all in different states, and I have to get him there and back, so let him rest."

I asked [Seeger] a couple years ago "Well, how are you feeling? You know, I'm feeling like things are falling apart." And he said, "Yeah but there are so many good things; people are doing such wonderful things, you have to look for the positive. Look for the less well-known leaders. Don't always look to the great leaders."

Most leaders of most countries choose a few powerful songs that they think represent their time, their politics, their commitment. And of course it was always true here too; "We Shall Overcome," of course signifies and reverberates for the civil rights movement, just as "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" reverberates for the anti-war movement. Pete was involved in all of those songs. It shone the light on the difficulties we were having socially as well as emotionally. And so it was clear that we were all involved in something that was glorious and difficult and extraordinarily important. 

Tony Trischka, banjo player:

When I first got serious about playing the banjo around the age of 14, I picked up Pete’s banjo book, which came out in the late '40s. It was the first banjo instruction book of the modern era, and provided me, and countless others, with lots of early inspiration. Around that time, I wrote a letter addressed to “Pete Seeger, Beacon, NY” (I didn’t have the address... kind of like writing to Santa Claus, North Pole). It went something like this: “You’re the greatest banjo player in the entire universe.” Two weeks later, I received a post card from Pete saying, “Dear Tony, Music’s not like a horse race. There’s no such thing as best, but I’m glad you like my music.” And he signed his name and drew a little banjo. The fact that he would take the time to respond to a kid like me was huge.

Ramblin' Jack Elliott, folk singer and storyteller:

The first time I met Pete, I was traveling with Woody Guthrie. It was in New York City, about 1951. I was 19 years old. We bumped into Pete in a little café down on Seventh Avenue in the Village. Woody introduced me and said, “Pete, say hello to Jack Elliott -- world’s best guitar picker!” Woody had a way with words. I might never hear that one again.

Another fond memory was Pete singing “Happy Birthday” to me. It was supposed to be my 80th birthday, two years ago in Newport. But I looked down at the cake, saw “80” on it, and I chickened out. I double-clutched, I put it in reverse, and now I’m going backwards. I’m 78.

I toured Britain by train with Pete, to concerts in Glasgow and Liverpool. I was always talking about boats [back then]. I like boats. So I was drawing pictures of boats, and I guess Pete sorta got the bug, and he built the Sloop Clearwater... Sails up and down the Hudson River, inspiring people to clean up the dirty water. Fond memories of Pete Seeger. Thank you. Over and out!