Happy 92nd birthday to folk music legend and Sing Out! co-founder, Pete Seeger! Pete was born in 1919 to Charles Seeger Jr. and Constance de Clyver Edson. In 1936 Pete’s father, Charles, took him to a musical gathering in Asheville, NC, where he first encountered the 5-string banjo, the rest is history. His career has been spent relishing the importance and beauty of music, particularly traditional music, which holds communities tight in times of crisis and builds a long lasting, unique heritage. He has always been a strong advocate of human rights and fought tirelessly as part of America’s labor movement. On August 18, 1955, Pete was called before the House Unamerican Activities Committee, where he was questioned about his political sympathies. Rather than pleading his Fifth Amendment rights, which protects against self-incrimination, Pete stood firm on his First Amendment rights, claiming that the committee had no right to discipline him over his protected freedom of thought, speech and expression.

I am not going to answer any questions as to my association, my philosophical or religious beliefs or my political beliefs, or how I voted in any election, or any of these private affairs. I think these are very improper questions for any American to be asked, especially under such compulsion as this. I would be very glad to tell you my life if you want to hear of it. — Pete Seeger

Pete was blacklisted by the McCarthyists, along with his fellow Weavers bandmates, but Seeger claims that the blacklisting only strengthened his resolve to speak out against injustice. He became a fervent environmentalist and co-founded the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater organization alongside his wife Toshi in 1966. Over the years, Pete has worked with a multitude of brilliant minds and fantastic performers, including Alan Lomax, Woody Guthrie and Huddy Leadbetter. Pete joined Bruce Springsteen and his grandson Tao Rodriguez-Seeger to sing at the inauguration of President Obama on January 19, 2009. Pete Seeger is a hero to many from several generations, and at 92, continues to play an integral role in folk music and worldwide human rights.

A very happy birthday to Pete Seeger from all of us at Sing Out!

Sing Out! Radio Magazine: Special Pete Seeger Edition

Transcripts of Pete Seeger’s House Unamerican Activities Committee hearing

Pete and Toshi Seeger’s video study of the steel drum, circa 1956