Guthrie: The King of Folk Music

In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the life and work of one of the most influential folk musicians of all time, Woody Guthrie. We’ll explore his humble beginnings, his commitment to social justice, and his lasting legacy.

Introduction

Guthrie was born in 1903 in Okemah, Oklahoma. He was the second of five children born to Charles and Nora Guthrie. His father, a cowboy and a land speculator, moved the family around frequently in Oklahoma and Texas. As a result, Guthrie did not receive a formal education and was mostly self-taught. He learned to read and write by himself and also picked up some knowledge of music from his mother, who played the piano.

Guthrie’s first musical experiences were with the fiddle, which he learned from his father. He later taught himself to play the guitar and banjo. In the 1920s, he began traveling around Oklahoma and Texas, performing at dances and other events. It was during this time that he began to develop his distinctive style of playing and singing.

In 1929, Guthrie married Mary Jo Harmon; the couple would have three children together. The following year, they moved to Pampa, Texas, where Guthrie found work in the oil fields. He also continued to play music, performing at local dances and roadhouses. In 1931, he suffered a severe nervous breakdown and was hospitalized for several months. After his release, he returned to music full-time.

In 1935, Guthrie moved to California with his family. He settled in Los Angeles and quickly became involved in the city’s folk music scene. He also began working with Woody Guthrie (no relation), a young singer-songwriter who would go on to become one of the most important figures in American folk music. The two men became friends and collaborators; together, they wrote some of Guthrie’s most famous songs, including “This Land Is Your Land.”

The Early Years

Arlo Davy Guthrie was born on July 10, 1947, in New York City. The son of folk singer and composer Woody Guthrie and Marjorie Mazia Guthrie, a one-time radio actress and professional dancer, Arlo was named after his father’s friend and fellow folksinger Leadbelly. Woody Guthrie was suffering from Huntington’s disease when his son was born, and he died when Arlo was only four years old.

His family and childhood

Woody Guthrie was born in Okemah, Oklahoma, on July 14, 1912, the second of five children born to Nora Belle (Sherwood) and Charles Edward Guthrie. His father was a cowboy turned businessman who had built up a relatively prosperous self-sufficeint farm before oil was discovered on that land in 1917, bringing an influx of fortune seekers and concomitant problems. Woody’s mother was a member of the Daughters of Temperance and a one-time schoolteacher. As a child Woody Guthrie absorbed the rhythms of work songs and ↵preaching that surrounded him and drew upon them later when he wrote his own songs. The family moved frequently following the oil boom, living in Texas, Kansas, and California before settling in Portland, Oregon. There Woody attended high school for two years before heading back to Texas with his father in 1929 during the Great Depression.

His musical influences

Guthrie’s musical influences were many and varied. He was exposed to a wide range of music growing up, from the old-time music of the decades before his birth, to the popular songs of his youth. He also heard the music of other cultures, including Mexican and Native American music. All of these genres would find their way into Guthrie’s own music.

In addition to traditional and popular music, Guthrie was also influenced by the working songs he heard while working on his father’s farm and in the oil fields. These songs often had simple, catchy melodies and straightforward lyrics that addressed the day-to-day concerns of working people. Guthrie was drawn to this music because it spoke to his own experience as a worker.

Guthrie’s influences also extended to politics and literature. He was deeply affected by the Dust Bowl disaster of the 1930s, which drove many farmers off their land and into poverty. This experience shaped Guthrie’s social activism, as well as his writing. He was also influenced by writers such as John Steinbeck and Woody Woody Guthrie neighbor Carl Sandburg.

The Rise to Stardom

Arlo Guthrie was born in New York City on July 10, 1947, into a family of folk musicians. His father, Woody Guthrie, was a renowned folk singer and songwriter. Arlo began playing the guitar and writing songs at a young age. He rose to prominence in the 1960s with his debut album, “Alice’s Restaurant.” Since then, Guthrie has released over 20 albums and continues to tour throughout the United States.

His early success

Guthrie’s signature song, “This Land is Your Land”, became one of the most recognized songs in the country. He also wrote “So Long, It’s Been Good to Know You”, which was recorded by Woody Guthrie and The Weavers and became a top ten hit in1950. His other popular songs include “Talking Dust Bowl Blues”, “Do Re Mi”, and “Pretty Boy Floyd”.

His impact on the music industry

Guthrie’s music had a profound impact on the folk music scene in America and beyond. He was one of the first to popularize the genre, and his songs were highly influential in shaping the sound and style of folk music that followed. Guthrie’s influence can be heard in the work of many later folk musicians, including Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Woody Guthrie.

Later Years

After his successes in the early 1960s, Guthrie’s later years were more difficult. He was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease in 1963, which slowly began to rob him of his physical and mental abilities. He continued to write and perform as much as he could, but his disease gradually worsened. He entered into a nursing home in 1966, and died in 1967 at the age of 55.

His later years

In the later years of his life, Guthrie’s health began to decline due to a number of factors, including years of heavy drinking and smoking. He was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease in 1952, which slowly began to take its toll on his health and ability to perform. In 1955, he had a heart attack while working on a farm in New Jersey. This forced him to take a leave of absence from performing, and he later moved into the Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital in Morristown, New Jersey.

Guthrie continued to write songs during this time, many of which were about his illness and hospitalization. In 1957, he was released from the hospital and moved into the home of his daughter Nora and her husband, Carl Rubin. He continued to write and perform when possible, but his health continued to decline. He eventually lost the ability to speak and died in 1967 at the age of 55.

His legacy

Guthrie’s influence was particularly strong in the world of folk music. In the early 1960s, he was an inspiration to a new generation of folk singers, including Bob Dylan, who would go on to become one of the most influential musicians of his generation. Guthrie’s songs have been covered by a wide range of artists, from Woody Herman to Bruce Springsteen. His legacy continues to inspire new generations of musicians and his music has been adapted for film, theater, and television.