RIP Pete Seeger




Pete Seeger at the New York City Community Garden Coalition's "Stand for the Land" Forum, April 27, 2013 at the Great Hall at Cooper Union. Pete is presented the Hammer of Justice by Haja Worley. (NYCCGC.org)

It’s hard to think Pete won’t be there–the Clearwater, the Strawberry Festival, the Corn Festival (he named it the “Buck-an-Ear” Festival), the Pumpkin Festival… .  Pete was a sage, a life-guide. Pete’s spirit reached into our souls and found our music. 

We’ll miss his stories, his voice, his hugs.  But in his name we’ve got to ”Keep On!” 

At the last Pumpkin Festival in Beacon, not only did Pete sing, but he handed out hand-written copies of the Emancipation Proclamation to the entire audience and we all recited it together–Pete himself knew it by heart.

Then, at a memorial for Toshi last October, at the Center for Ethical Culture, Pete raised the roof with song. What can we say–the longer he was with us, the longer we wanted him to stay.

Pete was fierce. It seems a  cataclysmic moment in time that we just lost Mandela, and now Pete. We’ve definitely all  gotta step up.

We’ve attached a few letters ,notes, cards, pictures of Pete when he came to sing in the JD Wilson Garden,  his recipe for “All American Strawberry Short Cake”,  songs, the hand card on “How to Build Global Community.” he loved to give out.

Love,
Haja and Cindy

 Pete sings"Turn, Turn, Turn", "Quite Early Morning" and "If I had a Hammer" with Morley, Stephan Said, and Pierce Turner with Sylvain Leroux on flute and the whole crowd. Then Pete teaches a little history lesson, past and future.

 To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven

A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven

A time to build up,a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones together

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven

A time of love, a time of hate
A time of war, a time of peace
A time you may embrace, a time to refrain from embracing

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven

A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time for love, a time for hate
A time for peace, I swear it's not too late




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