Music for Grown-Ups - 10/06/2009 : Pete Seeger's 90th birthday party at the Garden in NYC

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by Gerry Smith

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10/06/2009

Pete Seeger's 90th birthday party at the Garden in NYC

Thanks to Larry Kosofsky:

“As a Clearwater employee, I was lucky to receive two tickets to Pete Seeger's 90th birthday party at the Garden in NYC.

“A fantastic, memorable night, with too many performers to list and many highlights, some of which I'll list:

* Dave Matthews nailing "Rye Whiskey" with just voice and acoustic guitar;
* Pete leading 20,000 people in "Amazing Grace" with hymnal harmony;
* Kris Kristofferson, Taj Mahal, Guy Davis, Arlo Guthrie and others singing Dylan's "Maggie's Farm" - bringing back memories of the infamous Newport '65 performance when Pete (supposedly) threatened to axe the amp cable (I was at that one, too);
* Roger McGuinn doing "Turn, Turn, Turn";
* the McGarrigle Family, Teddy Thompson, Tom Paxton, Jay Unger and Molly Mason;
* Steve Earle;
* Richie Havens nailing "Freedom" and making it sound fresh;
* Bruce illuminating Pete's character in a pungent paragraph and then singing "the Ghost of Tom Joad";
* Emmylou Harris, Bela Fleck, Tony Trishka, the Preservation Hall
Jazz Band;
* Joan Baez with her arm around Ruby Dee;
* Billy Bragg;
* Ani diFranco and Bruce Cockburn;
* my congressman, John Hall (of Orleans) up there wailing "This Land is Your Land" with everyone on stage...
* and of course Pete...

“I know I've omitted a few, but the event was videotaped by PBS and should be broadcast sometime this summer. It was a down-home jamboree and sing-along, and it was a privilege to be there.”

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