Woodrow Wilson Guthrie, better known as Woody Guthrie, was born on July 14, 1912, in Okemah, Oklahoma. Growing up in the midst of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, Guthrie's formative years were marked by economic hardship and social upheaval. His experiences during this tumultuous period greatly influenced his worldview and shaped the themes that would later define his music and activism.
Career
Guthrie's musical journey began in the 1930s when he joined the ranks of traveling workers, experiencing the hardships faced by those affected by the economic downturn. Armed with a guitar adorned with the slogan "This Machine Kills Fascists," Guthrie wrote songs that captured the struggles of the working class. His music often centered on themes of poverty, migration, and social justice.
In 1940, Guthrie penned one of his most iconic songs, "This Land Is Your Land," a folk anthem that would become synonymous with the American spirit. Despite its popularity, Guthrie's early works were not confined to patriotic tunes; rather, he used his platform to address the socio-economic disparities and champion the cause of the marginalized.
Association with Organized Labor
Woody Guthrie's ties to organized labor were deep-rooted. He actively supported labor movements and unions, using his music to advocate for workers' rights. Songs like "Union Maid" and "1913 Massacre" depicted the struggles of laborers and served as anthems for the burgeoning labor movement in the United States.
Guthrie's commitment to the cause of labor was not merely symbolic; he actively participated in strikes and protests, aligning himself with the working class. His songs provided a voice for those whose stories were often overlooked, and he became a troubadour for the labor movement.
Communist Sympathies
During the 1930s and 1940s, Guthrie was associated with left-wing political circles and expressed sympathies towards the Communist Party USA. His involvement with groups like the Almanac Singers, a musical collective with strong ties to leftist politics, further solidified his connection to the communist movement. Guthrie's songs, such as "I Ain't Got No Home" and "Pretty Boy Floyd," highlighted the plight of the downtrodden and were imbued with a sense of social justice inspired by his communist leanings.
Guthrie was deeply tied to the Communist movement but his exact relationship with the CPUSA is contested. According to Gordon Friesen and Sis Cunningham, members of The Almanac Singers, all three of them were in the same club of the CPUSA.[1] Pete Seeger had this to say:
On the other hand, Sis Cunningham, who was a much more disciplined person than either me or Woody, was in a Greenwich Village Branch of the Party. She got Woody in. She probably said, I'll see Woody acts responsibly.' And so Woody was briefly in the Communist Party."[2] In 1939 he began writing a column for the Daily Worker[3]. He wrote a song called "More War News"" defending the Soviet interventions in Poland and the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, this was very controversial and lost him a record deal.[4] It can not be denied that Guthrie was to some extent a Communist, but he often downplayed that fact. Here is what the man himself had to say:
"If you call me a Communist, I am very proud because it takes a wise and hard-working person to be a Communist"[5]
Later Life and Legacy
In the late 1940s, Guthrie's health began to decline due to Huntington's disease, a hereditary neurological disorder. Despite his illness, he continued to write and perform, leaving behind a legacy that inspired subsequent generations of folk musicians and activists.
Woody Guthrie passed away on October 3, 1967, but his impact endured. His songs have been covered by countless artists, and his influence can be heard in the works of musicians ranging from Bob Dylan to Bruce Springsteen. Guthrie's commitment to social justice, his association with organized labor, and his sympathies towards the communist movement have left an indelible mark on American folk music and the broader landscape of political protest music. Today, Woody Guthrie is remembered not only as a talented musician but also as a passionate advocate for the rights and dignity of the working class.
Works
California to the New York Island - songbook
Music
Full Archive[[1]]
This Land is Your Land - 1940
- ↑ Radosh, Ronald (January 2, 2015). "The Communist Party's Role in the Folk Revival: From Woody Guthrie to Bob Dylan"
- ↑ Leonard, Aaron. "Woody Guthrie's Communism and "This Land Is Your Land"". History News Network. hnn.us. Retrieved May 17, 2021. American Communist History. 14 (1): 3–19. doi:10.1080/14743892.2015.1013301. S2CID 159878868.
- ↑ https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/woody-guthrie-s-first-daily-worker-column-woody-sez-the-national-debit-is-one-thing-i-caint-figger-out/
- ↑ Kaufman, Will (2010). "Woody Guthrie's 'Union War'". Hungarian Journal of English and American Studies (HJEAS). 16 (1/2): 109–124. JSTOR 43921756.
- ↑ Kaufman, Will (2010). "Woody Guthrie's 'Union War'". Hungarian Journal of English and American Studies (HJEAS). 16 (1/2): 109–124. JSTOR 43921756.