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Pete Seeger 90th Birthday Concert-Madison Square Garden 5/3/2009

One of the most overused words today is "legend". Not that there aren't people deserving of the title, but it seems to get thrown around a little to easy nowadays.Not to sound too much like my father, but it used to be that in order to be considered a legend, you needed to have been around for quite some time, you needed to have created an important body of work and also continue to be relevant in some fashion as time went on. On Sunday May 3, 2009, a benefit concert was given at Madison Square Garden to pay tribute to a legitimate legend. Pete Seeger. Pete Seeger is considered the father of American folk music. He made folk music popular when no one cared, and fought tirelessly for human rights and also environmental issues when it was not fashionable. He is an artist who has to be considered a legend regardless of his political views, some of which may have been misguided or naive, and which made him disliked by many for many years. He has always stood up for what he believed was right, and did it peacefully. The fact is, his views were pretty spot on in most cases. The concert at Madison Square Garden was a virtual who's who of folk and rock. Pete himself opened and closed the festivities.The majority of the artists performed ensemble versions of Pete's music and music he inspired. A few of the performers did not perform in an ensemble setting, probably due to the fact that they are currently touring and may not have been able to rehearse with the others. The concert was billed as a benefit for the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, a charity that helps to clean up the Hudson River and maintain the sloop that Mr. Seeger helped get built. One of their main goals is to educate young people about the environment. There were many musical highlights throughout the evening. For me, the best songs were The Water is Wide, Bring Em' Home, Oh Mary Don't You Weep, Where Have All the Flowers Gone and Ghost of Tom Joad. I will provide details of the performers of all the songs below. I also loved seeing all the artists onstage for the finale. Tim Robbins and Norman Lear gave short tributes to Mr. Seeger also, and Oscar the Grouch from Sesame Street had the funniest line of the night. Tom Chapin told him we were gathered together to celebrate Pete's 90th birthday. Oscar replied by saying "90, I thought he was like 100".Members of Pete's family were also on hand, including his older brother(95 years old). Bruce Springsteen's speech before Ghost of Tom Joad was also very moving. He credited Pete with being a virtual living history lesson and "a stealth dagger through the heart of the country's illusions of itself". And you cannot look at Pete Seeger's life without giving much deserved credit to his wife of 66 years, Toshi Seeger. She has stood by him when most people probably wouldn't have. Happy 90th Birthday Mr. Seeger, and may you live 90 more.

******************************************************* I must also note that Pete's Grandson, Tao Rodriguez-Seeger played on many songs, I noted as many that I know he was onstage for.

The house band included saxophonist Lenny Pickett and drummer's Shawn Pelton and James Wormworth. Jay Ungar & Molly Mason were onstage for several songs. I noted as many as I could.

The New York City Labor Chorus were also onstage throughout the performance. I noted the songs were they were featured.

Special thanks to the numerous articles & reviews that helped with some of the song titles. *****Setlist***** (Some of the title's may be wrong) Menomonee Love Song(Instrumental)-Pete Seeger on recorder Native American Indian Cultural Alliance Tribute If I Had a Hammer-John Mellencamp Ride Back Home-John Mellencamp Tim Robbins Tribute to Pete To My Old Brown Earth-New York City Labor Chorus Which Side Are you On?-Ani DiFranco & Bruce Cockburn John Henry-Tom Paxton,Tom Morello,Eric Weissberg,Jacob Silver Dear Mr. President-Michael Franti,Patterson Hood,Laura Cortese,Eric Weissberg Oh Freedom-Patterson Hood,Toshi Reagon,Bernice Johnson Reagon,Abigail Washburn,Guy Davis,Jacob Silver,NYC Labor Chorus Internationale'-Billy Bragg(With lyrics he penned) The Union Maid-Billy Bragg,Mike & Ruthy Merenda,Dar Williams,NYC Labor Chorus (All holding up Union cards at the end) Sailin' Up Sailin' Down-Pete Seeger,Steve Earle,Taj Mahal,Toshi Reagon,Warren Haynes,Tao Rodriguez-Seeger False From True-Steve Earle,Warren Haynes,Buddy Miles Water is Wide-Emmylou Harris,Teddy Thompson,Kate & Anna McGarrigle Family,Rufus & Martha Wainwright,NYC Labor Chorus Dink's Song-Bruce Cockburn,Anna & Kate McGarrigle,Martha & Rufus Wainwright Banjo Medly(Including Blue Skies & Happy Birthday)-Bela Fleck & Tony Trischka Waste Deep in the Big Muddy-Taj Mahal & Tom Morello Where Have All the Flowers Gone-Joan Baez The Torn Flag(Reading)-Ruby Dee (Musical Accompaniment-Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring-Bela Fleck) Bring Em' Home-Tyler Ramsey,Ben Bridwell,Patterson Hood,Warren Haynes,Tao Rodriguez-Seeger,Preservation Hall Jazz Band We Shall Overcome-Toshi Reagon,Joan Baez,Bernice Johnson Reagon,Emmylou Harris,Keller Williams,Ani DiFranco,Ruby Dee,Bill Nershi,Preservation Hall Jazz Band and others **************Intermission****************** Norman Lear Tribute to Pete Amazing Grace(Sing Along)-Pete Seeger & Tao Rodriguez-Seeger Garbage-Tom Chapin,Michael Mark,Oscar the Grouch There's a Hole in the Bucket-Kris Kristofferson & Ani DiFranco Little Boxes-Tommy Sands & His Irish Band Michael Row the Boat Ashore-Tim Robbins,Miles Robbins,Anna & Kate McGarrigle,Martha & Rufus Wainwright,Tony Trischka,Jacob Silver,Casey Driese,NYC Labor Chorus Freedom/Motherless Child-Richie Havens Jacobs Ladder-Joan Baez,Mike & Ruthy Merenda,Scarlett Lee Moore,Jay Ungar,Molly Mason,Larry Long,NYC Labor Chorus Oh Mary Don't You Weep-Arlo Guthrie,Del McCoury,John Hall,Tony Trischka,Bill Nershi,Preservation Hall Jazz Band Worried Man Blues-Arlo Guthrie,Tao Rodriguez-Seeger,Jay Ungar,Molly Mason,Ramblin' Jack Elliott,Bill Nershi Gather Round the Stone-Ben Harper,Ellen Verdes,Sue Chase,Tom Morello Letter to Pete(Reading)-Peggy Seeger Maggies Farm-Kris Kristofferson,Ramblin' Jack Elliott,Warren Haynes,Keller Williams,Richie Havens,Taj Mahal,Jay Ungar,Molly Mason Turn! Turn! Turn!-Roger McGuin,Tyler Ramsey,Ben Bridwell Precious Friend-Emmylou Harris,Arlo Guthrie,Tony Trischka,Preservation Hall Jazz Band Rye Whiskey-Dave Matthews Ghost of Tom Joad-Bruce Springsteen & Tom Morello This Land is Your Land-Pete Seeger & All Happy Birthday-All (Exit music-When the Saints Go Marching In-Preservation Hall Jazz Band) **************Encore**************** Well Make the World Go-All This Little Light of Mine-All Good Night Irene-Pete Seeger & All