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Woody Guthrie

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Woody Guthrie with guitar, which is labelled "This machine kills fascists."

Woodrow Wilson Guthrie (July 14, 1912–October 3, 1967) was a highly influential and prolific American folk musician noted for his identification with the common man, and for his abhorrence of fascism, politicians, hypocrisy and economic exploitation. He is best known for his song "This Land Is Your Land". He is the father of musician Arlo Guthrie.


Legacy

By the time of Guthrie's death, his work had been discovered by a new audience, introduced to them in part through Bob Dylan, who visited Guthrie in the last years of his life and described him as "my last hero." Dylan later went on to write Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie, a five-page tribute, and included "Song to Woody" on his first, eponymous album (1962).

In 1964, Phil Ochs's debut album, All the News That's Fit to Sing, included the song "Bound for Glory," a tribute to Guthrie and a criticism of revisionism and ignorance among modern audiences who preferred to forget some of Guthrie's more controversial (especially socialist) lyrics.

In 1967 his wife, Marjorie Guthrie, helped found the Committee to Combat Huntington's Disease which became the Huntington's Disease Society of America.

In 1971, Joan Baez first began publically performing Guthrie's song "Deportee (Plane Wreck At Los Gatos)." She continues performing it, most recently releasing it on her 2005 live album "Bowery Songs."

During the early 1970's, before adopting the name of Joe Strummer and founding The Clash, a young John Mellor began calling himself "Woody Mellor," derived obviously from Woody Guthrie.

Bruce Springsteen recorded "This Land Is Your Land" live December 28, 1980 at the Nassau Coliseum and is included on the Live/1975-85 album (1986). It was a cover song never released by Springsteen before.

In 1995, Woody's daughter Nora approached the British singer Billy Bragg about recording lyrics her father had composed in the later years of his life. After researching the lyrics at the Woody Guthrie Archive in New York City, Bragg worked with the band Wilco to record 40 tracks, a number of which were released on the albums Mermaid Avenue in 1998, and Mermaid Avenue Vol. II in 2000. These albums derived their names from the street on Coney Island where Woody lived with Marjorie and their family. She also approached Janis Ian about writing a song using the lyrics of one of Guthrie's unfinished songs, "I Hear You Sing Again." Ian wrote music in his style for the song, changing some of his lyrics and incorporated some of her own. The song was released on her 2004 album Billie's Bones. Nora Guthrie also invited the punk band Anti-Flag to visit the Archive. Subsequently, they covered "Post-War Breakout" and wrote a song called "This Machine Kills Fascists." These efforts have brought Guthrie's music to a new audience of fans. The Dropkick Murphys recorded an unreleased song of his, titled 'Gonna Be A Blackout Tonight' on their 2003 album Blackout. They later covered "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" on their 2005 CD, The Warrior's Code.

Steve Earle mentions Woody in his song "Christmas in Washington" on his 1997 CD El Corazon. Joan Baez covered the song in 2003 and it has since become a concert staple of hers.

Although initially the subject of much controversy, a statue honoring Guthrie stands in Memorial Park on Main Street in his hometown of Okemah. Also in Okemah, the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival celebrates his legacy each summer. It is produced by the Woody Guthrie Coalition, founded by his sister, Mary Jo Edgmon. The 2006 festival, July 12-16 in Okemah, featured Joe Ely, Jimmy LaFave, Ellis Paul, the David Amram Family Band and more. Arlo Guthrie kicked off the festival.

Navajo Native American punk-rock band Blackfire released their "Woody Guthrie Singles" in 2003. The Colorado-based band, Leftover Salmon, honored Guthrie on their 2004 self-titled release with the song "Woody Guthrie".

In 1996 Ani Difranco produced the tribute album "'Til We Outnumber 'Em: Live From Cleveland" and performed a rendition of "Do Re Mi." Also featured performing Guthrie covers were Billy Bragg, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, the Indigo Girls, Dave Pirner, Tim Robbins, Bruce Springsteen and Arlo Guthrie, his son.

In 2001, Frankie Fuchs produced "Daddy-O Daddy", rare family songs from lyrics written by Woody, set to music from musicans varied from Joe Ely to Taj Mahal.

Woody Guthrie is also a featured part of the band Son Volt's 2005 album "Okemah and the Melody of Riot" and is mentioned by name in the first track on that album, "Bandages & Scars".

In 2003 Alabama 3 composed a song called "Woody Guthrie".

In 2006, Old Crow Medicine Show released a cover of Guthrie's "Union Maid" on their album Big Iron World.

John Mellencamp's 2007 album "Freedom Road" is described by Mellencamp as a "Woody Guthrie" album.

In August 22 2006 the band The Casualties released a new album called UNDER ATTACK. In this album they make a song called IN IT FOR LIFE that is dedicated to Woody Guthrie.

Selected songs and albums by Woody Guthrie

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See also

External links

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