Pete & Toshi Seeger at Odetta Memorial Celebration

Famed folk singer and Sing Out! co-founder Pete Seeger and his wife, Toshi Seeger, were honored by Beacon High School, New York,  in a ceremony that named their school theater after the Seeger family.

The newly named “Seeger Theater” was used to host the festivities on Tuesday, February 12th, where the honorary bronze plaque engraved with Seeger’s signature instrument, the banjo, was unveiled. In attendance was the Seeger family, who spoke and met with guests prior to its commencement. The Seegers, who are longtime residents of Beacon, have continuously contributed to the school district over the past several decades, citing a strong interest in promoting kids’ interest in music, according to Yahoo! Music. The ceremony, taking place on, included a student performance of several well-known Seeger songs, including: “If I Had a Hammer,” “Where Have All the Flowers Gone,” and “Turn, Turn, Turn.” Titled “Life is a Contribution,” the performance is the first of many for the now “Seeger Theater,” which prior to the re-naming has routinely hosted district concerts, shows, and community performances, according to a report by the Poughkeepsie Journal (http://pojonews.co/V7FBKp).

Pete Seeger, 93, has been married to his wife, Toshi, for 70 years, and they’ve carried on an active presence in promoting the folk-music tradition, just as Sing Out! seeks to do in it’s publication.  In the past several years Seeger has been involved in several projects, both inside and outside the realm of music. In 2012 he began promoting his biography, “Pete Seeger: His Life in His Own Words,” written with Sam and Bob Rosenthal, by appearing on several venues ranging from public Bryant Park to the televised Colbert Report. Seeger has also continued his work in political activism. In October of 2011 Seeger led a solidarity march to Columbus Circle in New York City as a part of the Occupy Wall Street movement. Seeger’s flair for political engagement and his outspokenness in the face of injustice have long been a staple of his musical legacy. Above all, though, presenter’s stressed Seeger’s extreme humility and modesty, even in accepting an award for his lifetime of contributions.

– Cristiano Lima