palmettopicker - Posted - 01/27/2014:  22:22:58

hudsonvalleyreporter.com/dutch...ger-dies/

Jim Yates - Posted - 01/27/2014:  22:39:15

I was hoping that this was a hoax.  The website seems to be unavailable.

I guess it's true.  So sorry, but what a life.

nytimes.com/2014/01/29/arts/mu...html?_r=1

Edited by - Jim Yates on 01/27/2014 22:44:46

pastorharry - Posted - 01/27/2014:  22:48:28

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Seeger   

FRAILER57 - Posted - 01/27/2014:  23:00:27

Pete belongs to the ages now. A real treasure . RIP 

Kevin

pjfolino - Posted - 01/27/2014:  23:04:04

What a full life he had. An inspiration. 

gabeeg - Posted - 01/27/2014:  23:41:40

What an inspirational and heroic man (in spite of his wishes). RIP

robmac07 - Posted - 01/27/2014:  23:43:48

My 1st inspiration. R.I.P. Pete.

Douch - Posted - 01/27/2014:  23:44:05

So long brother.

Deaf Lester Crawdad - Posted - 01/27/2014:  23:51:55

quote:

---

Originally posted by palmettopicker

hudsonvalleyreporter.com/dutch...ger-dies/

---

 Alas.    He probably stood second only to Earl Scruggs in popularizing the banjo, and no doubt kick-started a lot more players with his book as well.    For many years it was practically the only 5-string banjo instruction book on the market, and even though it wasn't well organized it was enough to give a determined student enough background to get started with.

I gave my copy away years ago to a kid who couldn't afford lessons and had no means of transportation, but I remember it fondly and can still play a few of the tunes I learned from it.

Pete Seeger: There was only one of those.

Tommy5 - Posted - 01/27/2014:  23:55:42

I bought his book years ago, I heard him play at the Old Town school of Folk Music in the 80's, a true great banjo player and human.

ejimb0 - Posted - 01/28/2014:  00:03:14

I had a copy of Pete's book too. I didn't learn any banjo from it but I wore the red cover off it reading it over and over. I gave it to a banjo student a long time ago also.. I think he would have approved. A powerful figure, and a very important contributor to the banjo's revival.

Skyflyer911man - Posted - 01/28/2014:  01:39:38

An iconic influence in the genre of folk banjo. A gentle soul and one who made many happy with his tunes.

DCM_Dan - Posted - 01/28/2014:  01:48:31

An inspiration and an icon!  So much more than just a banjo player.

R.I.P Pete!

Edited by - DCM_Dan on 01/28/2014 01:49:44

hartesbanjo - Posted - 01/28/2014:  03:10:42

A sad loss, the link in the chain has been broken 

Rip pete!

maxmax - Posted - 01/28/2014:  03:14:02

R.I.P. Pete. You will be remembered! Thanks for everything!

fynger - Posted - 01/28/2014:  03:44:53

R.I.P. Pete

Old Man - Posted - 01/28/2014:  04:00:29

If I Had A Hammer                   R.I.P.  Pete

Don Borchelt - Posted - 01/28/2014:  04:06:17

A sincere man, a truly selfless and dedicated human being, and a great artist.  There are so few.

mainejohn - Posted - 01/28/2014:  04:07:59

As  was the case with so many others here, he was my first banjo inspiration, but more importantly was his contribution to all things good in this world.

RB100 - Posted - 01/28/2014:  04:16:05

Sad for me to see and hard for me to believe...my first influence on banjo with my first 'good banjo' being a long neck Pete Seeger Vega. But the banjo was the vehicle for his voice of 'good will toward man' and nature. His wife and partner Toshi passed recently and they truly were a team in all aspects. He knew who he was and never wavered even in the face of unimaginable forces such as single handedly standing up to congress and Joseph McCarthy,,,AND was always the gentle spirit who lived the words on the head of that banjo: "This machine surrounds hate with love and forces it to surrender" RIP Pete Seeger. You truly were one of a kind and you did make a difference! http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/29/arts/music/pete-seeger-songwriter-and-champion-of-folk-music-dies-at-94.html?_r=0

steve davis - Posted - 01/28/2014:  04:24:14

R.I.P. Pete.

Don Borchelt - Posted - 01/28/2014:  04:26:01

RB100 wrote: "...always the gentle spirit who lived the words on the head of that banjo: 'This machine surrounds hate with love and forces it to surrender'"

Pete put those words on his banjo head in response to what his friend Woody Guthrie had written on his guitar, "This machine kills fascists."

scruss - Posted - 01/28/2014:  04:28:52

So long, Pete. Numpties like me will forever lug impractically long banjos around in your memory.

8thpol - Posted - 01/28/2014:  04:29:28

Sad news...... Rest in Peace

pickNgrin - Posted - 01/28/2014:  04:46:52

I was born too late to be part of the "folk music scare". But... Pete was a true lover of music and a very smart and gentle soul. RIP. 

phb - Posted - 01/28/2014:  04:55:45

May he rest in peace.

May be this is an impious thought but my initial reaction to these news was feeling happy for his long life in good health even at high age and for his lifelong commitment.

burlap - Posted - 01/28/2014:  05:01:43

Rest well old Troubadour.....

BanjoFlyboy - Posted - 01/28/2014:  05:08:10

As with Earl; Pete was a true inspirational pioneer and promoter for the advancement of the banjo.  RIP

biganvils - Posted - 01/28/2014:  05:10:48

RIP Pete....:-(

Kstevensmd - Posted - 01/28/2014:  05:21:14

He was such an inspiration to many for many reasons.  I cherish my copy of his 5 sting banjo instruction book.

Edited by - Kstevensmd on 01/28/2014 05:23:06

Banjowen - Posted - 01/28/2014:  05:22:39

Pete's book got me started...R I P Pete and thanks.

rupickin5 - Posted - 01/28/2014:  05:52:05

The ambassador of the 5-string banjo....RIP Pete

Got started w/ his red-covered book back in '63...found a local coffee-house long-necked Vega Pete Seeger model instructer...so cool!...had a ball playing in our little folk trio (two guitars & me) at CYO & school auditorium functions...bum titty, bum titty; seeger-strum; & "frailing"...after about 6 or 7 lessons we got to the three-finger chapter/Bluegrass & Ed Gould said "now I can't teach you any of this...but go down & buy some of these bluegrass records Pete references" (w/ Mike Seeger's guidance)...oops...Earl; Ralph; JD; Monroe; Stanley's; Martin...made a hard-right turn right there. Still love clawhammer & the joy Pete has brought us all!

PeterJ - Posted - 01/28/2014:  05:56:28

Growing up in Westchester County in NY, I was lucky enough to think of Pete as a local treasure. He was always performing somewhere nearby, so I got to see him quite a bit. I clearly remember concerts he did with Odetta in Central Park and with Don McLean (also a fine banjo player) at a theater near Tarrytown, plus several shows with Arlo.

He was utterly fearless as a musician -- if the song needed the banjo to do something (whether it was "folk," "world," classical or even pre-bluegrass), he just did it. RIP, Pete, and thanks.

Check out this Tzena, Tzena, Tzena with the Weavers, especially his break at about 2:00 youtube.com/watch?v=QZ5v651bQ1o

Edited by - PeterJ on 01/28/2014 05:58:39

glsmi - Posted - 01/28/2014:  06:11:36

What a treasure. His was my first instruciton book concentrating on the 3 finger style.

B

Laurence Diehl - Posted - 01/28/2014:  06:18:59

Yep, I started out with his 'learn how to play 5-string banjo' when there was nothing else out there. Typical of Pete, it wasn't just a book about how to play. It was full of stories and pictures, and he talked about the people who were a part of this great tradition.  Context is important.

Pete was an inspiration to us musicians but more importantly, a great human being.He will be missed.

kwl - Posted - 01/28/2014:  06:23:10

RIP Pete. We will miss you.

jackg - Posted - 01/28/2014:  06:34:11

I never knew him in the banjo sense, but as a Hudson River advocate. I was fortunate to meet him several time, great guy.
So nice that the banjo community holds him in such high esteem.
He will be missed, but his life and music will live forever.

dmiller - Posted - 01/28/2014:  06:34:19

He had a good long ride.  May he R.I.P.

arnie fleischer - Posted - 01/28/2014:  06:48:58

I'm another who was drawn to the banjo by Pete's playing and who then learned how to play from his book.  I bought my first banjo at a pawnshop on the Bowery in lower Manhattan, because that's where Pete's book suggested you should look.  I got to meet him at a fundraiser in honor of his 80th birthday, and it's a moment I'll never forget.

Danaher - Posted - 01/28/2014:  06:49:21

The jams in heaven just got kicked up a notch.

chuckv97 - Posted - 01/28/2014:  07:02:36

RIP Pete. First banjo book I had was his - learned some frailing and started on Scruggs style . May his train be "Bound for Glory"

dculgan - Posted - 01/28/2014:  07:15:02

Yes, rest in peace Pete Seeger, just for a while, and when its time to get up again – rise up singing with the celestial choir.

CoE15NJV - Posted - 01/28/2014:  07:15:04

 I had his book back in the late '60's and gave it to a friend. I also remember his TV show "Rainbow Quest" (he had a lot of interesting guests on there from all types of musical styles).

R.I.P. Pete.

Steven

mike gregory - Posted - 01/28/2014:  07:21:56

quote:

---

Originally posted by phb

May he rest in peace.

May be this is an impious thought but my initial reaction to these news was feeling happy for his long life in good health even at high age and for his lifelong commitment.

---

Fear not.

There is nothing impious about rejoicing that his life an career HAPPENED, even as we regret that it has ended.

BTuno - Posted - 01/28/2014:  08:33:44

Just saw it on the morning news, and am typing this through my tears.  What a treasure, and certainly the primary influence on my love of the banjo.   Banjo notwithstanding, we could use a lot more of his philosophy of life in this world!  I miss him already!

Edited by - BTuno on 01/28/2014 08:47:54

Crusty - Posted - 01/28/2014:  08:37:20

So long, it's been good to know ya.

I have fought a good fight

My course is done

I have kept the faith

Henceforth there is laid for me a crown of righteousness

ChuckHenry - Posted - 01/28/2014:  08:45:00

He led an inspirational life. He encouraged everyone to participate (in songs, in community) and create a better world in the process.

gDGBD - Posted - 01/28/2014:  09:12:03

I still have Pete's yellow-covered edition that I learned from in 1961.  His use of tablature was a great teaching device.

To really appreciate his banjo playing, listen to the Goofing-Off Suite, especially his version of Irving Berlin's "Blue Skies".

youtube.com/watch?v=yiTBcD36_G4

RIP

BanjoBelle - Posted - 01/28/2014:  09:32:26

Was really shocked to hear the news this morning. Yet was amazed at myself for being shocked as I knew he was in his 90's. An amazing man who gave us all so much!  I saw him & Arlo perform together in the 80's or late  70's when I was in jr high. Glad I can say I actually saw him perform. He's gonna be really missed.