Must-see PBS documentary tomorrow night: Woody Guthrie

[mark414]

Tomorrow night (Wednesday, July 12) PBS, as part of their American Masters series, will profile one of the greatest Americans who ever lived, Woody Guthrie.

Woody is one of those guys that everyone knows but nobody knows. everybody knows "this land is your land" but few know the full story behind the man that bob dylan called his "last hero."

woody was a lifelong socialist and trade unionist, wrote weekly columns for the Daily Worker ("Woody Sez"), and in his songs chronicled, through first hand experience, some of the most important and notable aspects of american history: the great depression, the dust bowl, WW2 and the New Deal, and on and on and on.

woody was one of those guys who always spoke the truth, always "walked the talk," if you will. his influence has extended into every aspect of modern american music, both directly and indirectly.

you would be doing yourself a great disservice to miss this program.

check yer local listings
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/guthrie_w.html

[redqueen]

1. Wish I'd have suggested that you post this as its own thread...

thanks!

:yourock:

[mark414]

2. i can't wait for it...

i'm listening to ballads of sacco and vanzetti right now...

the funny thing about woody is that when i was out doing my traveling, it didn't matter what i was doing, where i was, what kind of situation i was in - i could always find at least a verse from one of his songs that fit my situation perfectly...

[redqueen]

3. ah, sacco and vanzetti

i took a history course and learned about them... talked to a co-worker about them (i was surprised we didn't learn about it in HS history) and the co-worker took the opportunity to tell me what an awful history professor i had... :rofl:

[Taverner]

8. Hell even my Freeper dad thinks they were framed

[enigmatic]

4. Hey man, didn't see you were back

I'm going to be watching; listened to alot of Guthrie when I hopped trains for awhile..

Hope you are doing ok!

[mark414]

6. you used to hop brother?

that's what i'd been out doing for the last few months until i broke my collarbone hopping off of one...so i'm back in wisconsin for awhile until the recovery process is complete and then i'm hittin the road again...but in the interim i'll be here, good to see yer still here too

woody was one of my strongest inspirations to say fuck it and go out hopping and hitchhiking...and i don't regret a minute of it, and am goin stir crazy while i'm waiting to go back out

[enigmatic]

9. Are you ok?

I hopped off and on in the late 80's/early 90's when I was pretty much a "drifter"; mostly around the midwest. It was one of those experiences that changed me forever for the better...

I have to go to the hotel today but I want to hear about your experiences, so expect a pm..

[mark414]

10. the recovery is going well

it was such a nasty break that i had to have surgery on it just over a week ago...was just at the doc today and they said it's going great...albeit way too slow for my tastes

just as summer, the BEST traveling season, was just kicking in, this had to happen...but whatev, it DID happen and i can't change that, so make the best of what's goin on now...

lookin forward to yer PM

[Pendrench]

5. Joe Klein wrote a very good bio of Woody...

I think it was called "Woody Guthrie: A Life"


Tim

[Metta]

7. Woody's one of the five books of the Bible of Amer. pop music.

Looks good. 9:00 in Pittsburgh, PA.

[mark414]

11. hey...a kick for woody

[mark414]

12. i'm gonna kick this thread lord god

cause woody shouldn't be treated this ol' way

[mark414]

13. one last kick for tonight

before i kick it about a million and one times tomorrow