When we shared our New Year’s post including Woody Guthrie’s own famous resolutions/”rulin’s,” I was reminded of the visit that Hightower and I made to the fantastic Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa, OK this past spring.
This is a collection to cherish. Woody is the voice of the common people - a bard for the ages. Thanks, Deanna, and Happy (and COURAGEOUS) New Year to you, Jim, and all the Lowdowners out there. Another bard (Shakespeare) begins his last play, The Tempest, with a disastrous storm at sea. Right in the middle of it, the captain tells his crew to keep on keeping on:"Cheerly, cheerly, my hearts!" Never give up!
Close to 90 years later, Woody's pledge of allegiance and inadequate housing depictions are as pointedly relevant as ever. Thanks for focusing on them, and his wife who saved so much of Woody's work.
Thank you for sharing this! I had never heard of the Woody Guthrie museum/center. I wish I had known about it during my numerous cross-country drives. As an artist myself, who sometimes questions the ability of art to impact and change people's lives, this glimpse of Guthrie's life and work has re-kindled something in me. Hopefully, I'll keep it alive, and make it a resolution of my own to speak out not only in words (which can be art too, of course) but in the graphic and visual arts in which I have delighted all my life. Thanks again!
Thank you so much for this, for this information, for these photos… I love the photo of Mr. Hightower and the virtual reality goggles. But also of him taking in all the wonders of Woody Guthrie. Two kindred souls. I did not know of the center and hope to go there someday. I loved learning about his wife and I also love the reference to Martha Graham… Because I was just sharing her famous quote today with another artist friend, inspiring her to not give up.
It has been a few years,but I have been to the Woody Guthrie Center several times. I have been to the Bob Dylan Center too. It is next door to the Woody Guthrie Center.I recommend them both.
From Wikipedia: "The earliest known relationship between punk rock and folk music is that of Woody Guthrie." I had never considered that before but I'm not surprised. I've been a fan of Bob Dylan, Steve Earle and protest music in general for many years. The supply of things to protest seems inexhasustable. August 22, 1969, two days before my 14th birthday, I went to see the band Steppenwolf in Providence, RI. My Mom wouldn't let me go to Woodstock the previous week. (I'm finally over that denial.) Stepppenwolf came out, played some of their hits and the audience roared. Then they played the "Monster/Suicide/America" trilogy. The live version of that song is my all time favorite protest song, much more powerful than the studio version. The song "Born To Be Wild" coined the phrase "Heavy Metal Thunder" even though Jimi Hendrix invented "Heavy Metal" music at the Cafe Wha? in 1966. But I digress. Highly recommended protest songs by Steppenwolf include Draft Resister, Don't Step On The Grass Sam and The Ostrich. These songs shake things up and rattle cages. That's their job.
The last refrain from the Monster trilogy:
America where are you now, don't you care about your sons and daughters?
Don't you know we need you now, we can't fight alone against the Monster?
How much longer will we be asking these questions?
For her 18th birthday present, my sister got tickets for Friday night at Woodstock to see Arlo Guthrie live. We abolished the draft and got the Clean Air and Clean Water Act passed by pulling together, protesting, and singing the songs. I can still sing "Alice's Restaurant' by Arlo Guthrie, l know it by heart. Thank God for continued agitation by each and every generation, as the improvement of government function for upholding liberty and justice, the basis of the U.S. Constitution, lies in the great spiritual motivation of the protest song lyrical poetry and music. I know these songs of the 60's and 70's by heart. 'Blows Against the Empire' and the greedy money worshippers
This is a collection to cherish. Woody is the voice of the common people - a bard for the ages. Thanks, Deanna, and Happy (and COURAGEOUS) New Year to you, Jim, and all the Lowdowners out there. Another bard (Shakespeare) begins his last play, The Tempest, with a disastrous storm at sea. Right in the middle of it, the captain tells his crew to keep on keeping on:"Cheerly, cheerly, my hearts!" Never give up!
Close to 90 years later, Woody's pledge of allegiance and inadequate housing depictions are as pointedly relevant as ever. Thanks for focusing on them, and his wife who saved so much of Woody's work.
I sent out 100 copies of your old print newsletter to 100 of my clients asking them to support you
Thank you for sharing this! I had never heard of the Woody Guthrie museum/center. I wish I had known about it during my numerous cross-country drives. As an artist myself, who sometimes questions the ability of art to impact and change people's lives, this glimpse of Guthrie's life and work has re-kindled something in me. Hopefully, I'll keep it alive, and make it a resolution of my own to speak out not only in words (which can be art too, of course) but in the graphic and visual arts in which I have delighted all my life. Thanks again!
Our best wishes to you, Mario! Keep the flame alive!
I love Woody,his books and his ramblings. Changed my life certainly in the 60's with hope of the people/ for the people.
Woody's words ring true more than ever during these times
Thank you so much for this, for this information, for these photos… I love the photo of Mr. Hightower and the virtual reality goggles. But also of him taking in all the wonders of Woody Guthrie. Two kindred souls. I did not know of the center and hope to go there someday. I loved learning about his wife and I also love the reference to Martha Graham… Because I was just sharing her famous quote today with another artist friend, inspiring her to not give up.
Thank you. Little Donnie is an apple that didn’t fall far from the tree. Scammer and heartless just like his daddy
To continue Woody's legacy,we current day realists need to do our part to stop Trump's obedient fascists, the Trumpkins and MAGAts.
It has been a few years,but I have been to the Woody Guthrie Center several times. I have been to the Bob Dylan Center too. It is next door to the Woody Guthrie Center.I recommend them both.
thanks. so much i don't know and so much you bring to my attention
sg
Thank you so much for sharing the visit to the Woody Guthrie Center, for those of us who probably won't get there.
What a wonderful visit with Woody! Thanks for sharing ✊🏻
From Wikipedia: "The earliest known relationship between punk rock and folk music is that of Woody Guthrie." I had never considered that before but I'm not surprised. I've been a fan of Bob Dylan, Steve Earle and protest music in general for many years. The supply of things to protest seems inexhasustable. August 22, 1969, two days before my 14th birthday, I went to see the band Steppenwolf in Providence, RI. My Mom wouldn't let me go to Woodstock the previous week. (I'm finally over that denial.) Stepppenwolf came out, played some of their hits and the audience roared. Then they played the "Monster/Suicide/America" trilogy. The live version of that song is my all time favorite protest song, much more powerful than the studio version. The song "Born To Be Wild" coined the phrase "Heavy Metal Thunder" even though Jimi Hendrix invented "Heavy Metal" music at the Cafe Wha? in 1966. But I digress. Highly recommended protest songs by Steppenwolf include Draft Resister, Don't Step On The Grass Sam and The Ostrich. These songs shake things up and rattle cages. That's their job.
The last refrain from the Monster trilogy:
America where are you now, don't you care about your sons and daughters?
Don't you know we need you now, we can't fight alone against the Monster?
How much longer will we be asking these questions?
For her 18th birthday present, my sister got tickets for Friday night at Woodstock to see Arlo Guthrie live. We abolished the draft and got the Clean Air and Clean Water Act passed by pulling together, protesting, and singing the songs. I can still sing "Alice's Restaurant' by Arlo Guthrie, l know it by heart. Thank God for continued agitation by each and every generation, as the improvement of government function for upholding liberty and justice, the basis of the U.S. Constitution, lies in the great spiritual motivation of the protest song lyrical poetry and music. I know these songs of the 60's and 70's by heart. 'Blows Against the Empire' and the greedy money worshippers
Thanks for a trip down memory lane
This is great! Love the video/song. Thank you for sharing and reminding us that the fight goes on. We will put down the fascists once again.