Guthrie, Woody

Guthrie, Woody

Genres: folk, singer-songwriter, country, americana, political

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About Guthrie, Woody

Woodrow Wilson Guthrie (July 14, 1912 - October 3, 1967) was an American singer-songwriter, composer, and writer associated with American folk music. His work addressed subjects including economic inequality, labor rights, migration, anti-fascism, and social justice. He is known for songs such as "This Land Is Your Land", "Tear the Fascists Down", "Roll On, Columbia, Roll On", and "Pastures of Plenty". Guthrie wrote hundreds of songs, including folk, country, protest, and children's music, as well as prose, poetry, and autobiographical works. His 1940 album "Dust Bowl Ballads" focused on the experiences of migrants during the Dust Bowl era. Many of his recordings and manuscripts were later archived by the Library of Congress and other institutions. Numerous musicians cited Guthrie as an influence, including Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Bruce Springsteen, Joe Strummer, Billy Bragg, Jerry Garcia, and Jeff Tweedy. Guthrie frequently displayed the slogan "This machine kills fascists" on his guitar. Guthrie was born in Okemah, Oklahoma, to Nora Belle Guthrie and Charles Edward Guthrie. He was named after Woodrow Wilson, who was elected president of the United States later that year. His father was involved in local politics and business ventures in Oklahoma. During Guthrie's childhood, the family experienced several hardships, including house fires, financial difficulties, and the illness of his mother, who suffered from Huntington's disease. In 1927, his father was seriously injured in a fire, and in 1930 his mother died from complications related to her illness. As a teenager, Guthrie developed an interest in music, learning traditional songs and ballads from people in his community. He also learned harmonica and performed music in public for money and food. He left high school before graduating and moved to Pampa, Texas, where his father was living. In 1933, he married Mary Jennings, with whom he had three children. During the 1930s, Guthrie traveled to California as part of the migration caused by the Dust Bowl and economic conditions of the Great Depression. Many of his songs from this period described the experiences of migrant workers and working-class Americans. In Los Angeles, he performed on radio station KFVD with Maxine "Lefty Lou" Crissman and gained recognition as a folk and hillbilly musician. During this period he also became acquainted with figures including actor Will Geer, writer John Steinbeck, and journalist Ed Robbin. Guthrie contributed a column titled "Woody Sez" to the newspaper "People's World" between 1939 and 1940. Although Guthrie was associated with left-wing political movements and expressed support for socialist and communist causes, there is no evidence that he formally joined the Communist Party. During the period of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, controversy surrounding his political views contributed to his departure from KFVD. He subsequently moved to New York City, where he became part of the city's folk music community. In 1940, Guthrie wrote "This Land Is Your Land" in response to the widespread popularity of Irving Berlin's "God Bless America". The song later became one of the best-known works in American folk music. During the same period, he collaborated with folklorist Alan Lomax and recorded songs for the Library of Congress and Victor Records. Guthrie became associated with the Almanac Singers, a folk music group that included Pete Seeger, Lee Hays, and Millard Lampell. The group performed songs related to labor movements, anti-fascism, and social issues. Guthrie also wrote extensively during this time, producing poetry, songs, essays, and his autobiography "Bound for Glory", published in 1943. The book later inspired the 1976 film adaptation "Bound for Glory", starring David Carradine. In 1941, Guthrie traveled to the Pacific Northwest after being commissioned by the Bonneville Power Administration to write songs about the Columbia River and federal dam projects. During a one-month period, he wrote 26 songs, including "Grand Coulee Dam" and "Pastures of Plenty". These songs were later used in the documentary film "Columbia", released in 1949. During World War II, Guthrie supported anti-fascist causes through music and radio performances. He later joined the United States Merchant Marine and served aboard several ships traveling across the Atlantic. He performed music for sailors and troops during voyages connected to the war effort. In 1945, he was drafted into the United States Army, though his military service was brief. Guthrie married dancer Marjorie Mazia in 1945 after separating from his first wife. The couple settled in Brooklyn, New York, and had four children, including musician Arlo Guthrie. During the late 1940s, Guthrie wrote and recorded children's songs, including material later released as "Songs to Grow on for Mother and Child". He also wrote the novel "House of Earth", which remained unpublished until 2013. Throughout the late 1940s and early 1950s, Guthrie's physical and mental health deteriorated. He was eventually diagnosed with Huntington's disease, the hereditary neurological disorder that had also affected his mother. Prior to the diagnosis, he had received other diagnoses, including alcoholism and schizophrenia. His illness progressively impaired his movement, speech, and behavior. Guthrie spent extended periods in hospitals in New Jersey and New York during the final years of his life. Despite his declining health, he remained an influential figure for younger musicians associated with the American folk revival. Bob Dylan, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, and other performers visited Guthrie and cited his songs and performance style as major influences. Woody Guthrie died on October 3, 1967, at Creedmoor Psychiatric Center in Queens, New York, from complications related to Huntington's disease. His remains were cremated and scattered at sea. After his death, Guthrie's work continued to influence folk, rock, and protest music. His songs have been recorded and performed by numerous artists, and his archives, recordings, and writings have been preserved by institutions including the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institution. His daughter Nora Guthrie later played a central role in managing and preserving his literary and musical estate. Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woody_Guthrie

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