Posted on 09/03/2016 9:50:23 AM PDT by EveningStar
Fred Hellerman, a singer, guitarist and songwriter and the last surviving member of the Weavers, the quartet that in the 1950s helped usher in the folk music revival, died on Thursday at his home in Weston, Conn. He was 89...
With songs like “If I Had a Hammer,” “Goodnight Irene” and “Kisses Sweeter Than Wine,” the Weavers brought folk music to a mass audience, paving the way for singers like Joan Baez, Bob Dylan and Peter, Paul and Mary, who galvanized a young, politically conscious audience in the 1960s.
Mr. Hellerman’s mellow baritone, rock-steady guitar and songwriting talent made him a pillar of the group, whose other members were Pete Seeger, Lee Hays and Ronnie Gilbert. Mr. Hays died in 1981, Mr. Seeger in 2014 and Ms. Gilbert in 2015...
After Mr. Seeger was labeled a Communist by the influential publication “Red Channels in 1952, and an F.B.I. informant made the same charge against Mr. Hellerman and Ms. Gilbert, it became impossible for the group to perform on radio and television, or at most concert halls...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
“Advice to the men in the general audience, or is this Irene something that we don’t quite understand?”
Interesting thought HTRN! It almost doesn’t seem to fit the attitude of the rest of the song. Leadbelly’s version is on youtube, but RY Cooder’s is better if you can find it. The Weaver’s recording is insipid!
They were stinking commies, of course, but they were great musicians.
Excellent.
Who is the young man shaking hands with Obamugabe?
Well, of course. Long tradition at the NYT of loving commies. There was the reporter Walter Duranty who whitewashed Stalin’s crimes against humanity.
I have no idea. I was just looking for pics of Springstein and Obama. Springstein invited communist Pete Seeger to perform with him at Obama’s 2009 inauguration. I saw it on c-span. They showed Obama singing along to “This Land Is Your Land, This Land Is My Land”.
Okay, thanks. I loathe Springsteen.
RIP.
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