Pete Seeger died this week. That’s obviously not good news although, at the age of 94, seems natural enough. So who was Pete Seeger? According to The New York Times obituary, he was a “singer, folk-song collector and songwriter who spearheaded an American folk revival and spent a long career championing folk music as both a vital heritage and a catalyst for social change.”

Pete’s life story is a good news story overall. He was talented, successful, modest, held strong convictions that he effectively championed, was a mentor to younger singer-songwriters, and lived a long, full life. According to the article, in 2009 he was quoted as saying: “My job is to show folks there’s a lot of good music in this world, and if used right it may help to save the planet.”

Pete Seeger’s accomplishments include spearheading antipollution efforts and promoting education. He supported the labor movement in the United States at its peak in the mid-20^th century, as well as civil rights and antiwar activities.

Pete Seeger is also famous for having written a song a very many people know and enjoy, called “Where Have All the Flowers Gone”. Hearing it is a nice way of remembering him:

Lyrics