Democracy Now! July 12, 2012

July 12, 2012 from Democracy Now! via Creative Commons License BY-NC-ND

Today a Democracy Now! special on the life, politics, and music of Woody Guthrie, the "Dust Bowl Troubadour." Born a hundred years ago on July 14, 1912, in Oklahoma, Guthrie is best remembered as a musician, but he also had a deeply political side, speaking out for labor and civil rights at the height of McCarthyism. Plus headlines, and more.

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Woody Guthrie

Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Guthrie was an American singer-songwriter and folk musician whose musical legacy includes hundreds of political, traditional and children's songs, ballads and improvised works. He frequently performed with the slogan This Machine Kills Fascists displayed... Explore this topic

Protest song

A protest song is a song which is associated with a movement for social change and hence part of the broader category of topical songs. It may be folk, classical, or commercial in genre. Among social movements that have an associated body of songs are the abolition movement, w... Explore this topic

Folk music

Folk music includes both traditional music and the genre that evolved from it during the 20th century folk revival. The term originated in the 19th century but is often applied to music that is older than that. Some types of folk music are also called world music. Traditional ... Explore this topic

Woody Guthrie Folk Festival

The Woody Guthrie Folk Festival is held annually in mid-July to commemorate the life and music of Woody Guthrie. The festival is held on the weekend closest to July 14 - the date of Guthrie's birth - in Guthrie's hometown of Okemah, Oklahoma. Daytime main stage performances ar... Explore this topic

Pete Seeger

Peter "Pete" Seeger is an American folk singer. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, he also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of The Weavers, most notably their recording of Lead Belly's "Goodnight, Irene", which topped the charts for 13 we... Explore this topic

Steve Earle

Steve Earle is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, author and actor. Earle grew up near San Antonio, Texas, and began learning the guitar at age 11. Earle began his career as a songwriter in Nashville and released his first EP in 1982. His breakthrough album was th... Explore this topic

Centennial

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Alan Lomax

Alan Lomax was one of the great American field collectors of folk music of the 20th century. He was also a folklorist, ethnomusicologist, archivist, writer, scholar, political activist, oral historian, and film-maker. Lomax also produced recordings, concerts, and radio shows i... Explore this topic

Anti-fascism

Anti-fascism is the opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals. The related term antifa derives from Antifaschismus, which is German for anti-fascism; it tends to refer to individuals and groups on the left of the political spectrum, that are dedicated to fightin... Explore this topic

McCarthyism

McCarthyism is the practice of making accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason without proper regard for evidence. It also means "the practice of making unfair allegations or using unfair investigative techniques, especially in order to restrict dissent or political c... Explore this topic

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Woody Guthrie

Protest song

Centennial

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2:05

Democracy Now! Introduction: Celebrating Woody Guthrie's Centennial

Democracy Now! | Jul 12

Today a Democracy Now! special on the life, politics, and music of Woody Guthrie, the "Dust Bowl Troubadour." Born a hundred years ago on July 14, ...