Seeger Sings Again (In Canada)
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Seeger Sings Again (In Canada) Lorne Brown They were the most eagerly sought after tickets. No sin” Guy Davis, son of actor/activists Ossie and Ruby advance publicity, no media release, no advertise- Davis. ments. Good old-fashioned word of mouth (or maybe Already Hugh’s Room was filling up with di- word of email) and magically the news spread: “Pete ners. People waited in line, some carrying banjos, Seeger’s singing in Toronto! Pass it on!” “He’s sing- which I thought strange. Turns out they were hoping ing in Hugh’s Room with his grandson! Pass it on!” Pete would sign them after the show. He didn’t; he Now how on earth could this happen? Mr. Seeg- went up one flight of stairs to the green room and er is 89 years old and vowed some years ago that his down another and out the door to his van. Eventually touring days were over. “I’m so busy at home with we got seated at Bram Morrison’s table, a table for chores, answering mail, that I never think of leaving nine directly in front of the stage. Unfortunately, the [Hudson] valley,” he said, “My banjo’s hanging Bram and Ruth were unable to attend, but Sharon on the wall and if anyone visits I can take it down Hampson and her daughter were there, along with and play it.” As usual, Pete is being too modest. other friends and relatives. Larry, a tablemate, said People dropping in include the Boss himself, Bruce that Pete Seeger was just ahead of him when he came Springsteen, who made a recording with Pete. And in. “There was Pete Seeger with his banjo!” he kept banjo virtuoso Tony Trischka, who did likewise, repeating, like some teenage girl talking about the thanks to the mini-digital recorder. latest heart-throb band hero. In fact, the whole room But the question remains: how could this hap- seemed to be filled with old friends and relatives. It pen? Well, it seems that Pete’s grandson Tao Rodri- was “Old Home Week”, with Toronto’s folk commu- guez-Seeger, with his folk rock group the Mammals nity out in full force, all feeling, truth to tell, some- on maternity leave, recently performed a concert with what teenage-ish. his grandfather and Guy Davis at the Franklin Delano There were banjo whiz Arnie Naiman and his Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde singing wife, Kathy Reid-Naiman. They were sitting Park, New York. “We had a really good time,” said so close to the stage I suggested Arnie could retune Rodriguez-Seeger. “We got home and Grandpa was the 5-string banjo lying on a chair on stage. Tao’s bouncing off the wall with excitement. 'Let's do that banjo, since Pete never appears anywhere without his again,' he said.” banjo. Ken Whitely was there with his wife, Ellen. A Canadian tour was quickly arranged: Montreal Guitar virtuoso Paul Mills walked by. The “Backseat (River’s Edge Community Church), Toronto (two Balladeers” were there, four storytellers with a love nights in Hugh’s Room), Kingston (the Grand Thea- for the traditional ballad. Jerry Gray of the Travellers tre), and Ottawa (Library and Archives Canada). No was greeting old friends. Alumni of the legendary airplane travel; they would drive in a van. No large Camp Naivalt, some in Camp Naivalt t-shirts, were venues, only small intimate ones. The tour would be everywhere. Gordon Lightfoot sat in relative obscuri- a benefit for the Unitarian Service Committee of ty. Seeger fans are passionate; Bob Biderman of the Canada, which assists farmers in developing coun- Common Thread Choir was there, having also at- tries. ($35,000 was raised!) The tour sold out imme- tended the previous night’s concert, where Seeger diately. invited Sylvia Tyson to help sing “If I Had a Ham- So I found myself arriving with my wife on the mer”. Pete’s step-brother Rufus Dickinson, who lives evening of July 7, 2008 at Hugh’s Room. The prob- in Toronto, attended both performances. In fact, Pete lems I had with a kidney stone―which caused me to had lunch (an egg salad sandwich) at Rufus’s home cancel all sorts of gigs, including one in Saskatoon― today and discussed politics and family. Lilian Wau- had finally passed, so to speak, and this was my thier of the Acoustic Harvest folk club sat near me. “First Night Out”. There was the Seeger van parked The place was alive with excitement. Wordsmith outside Hugh’s Room. The marquee billed tonight as Holmes Hooke, who books acts for Hugh’s Room the “Seeger Family Concert”. That would be Pete, and MCs shows there, was talking to various people. grandson Tao Rodriguez-Seeger, and “honorary cou- “I’m glad to see you here!” he said to me, “I was hoping you’d make it.” 21 The waiters and waitresses were a perfect exam- cial mayor of Toronto”, Ken Whitely, on stage to ple of grace under pressure, and by 8:30 p.m. every- help out (superlatively) with his mandolin―we were one had been fed and watered. People were still com- all waiting for Pete’s turn. Forget any thought that an ing in and excitement was mounting, if that were 89-year old would only lead us in some romp of old possible. (The show was billed to start at 8:30.) nostalgia; Pete kept singing one new song after At 8:50, Hooke mounted the stage and started another. “Take It From Dr. King”, which he wrote speaking into the microphone. Alas, what he said will after 9/11, has a tricky refrain to sing which Pete never be known, for at that exact moment applause taught to us so simply and naturally that in less time started at the back of the room as people started to than it takes me to write, he had us all singing it as if stand and clap. The trio of performers had appeared we’d known it all our lives. He is a great teacher. in the back of the room. Everyone else now stood and 2008 is the year Jim Brown’s documentary Pete applauded, and Tao, Pete and Guy made their way to Seeger: the Power of Song was released. It played the stage, walking directly past me. Pete, toting his nationally on PBS and closed Toronto’s Jewish Film banjo, looked frail; his grandson carried Pete’s 12- Festival. The phrase “power of song” was used to string guitar. They mounted the stage to a prolonged show how songs can change the world. Pete is a great standing ovation. Pete Seeger was here and all was believer in that sentiment. But as I watched this con- well with the world. cert, I had a new appreciation for the phrase “power Pete stood, looking a bit bewildered. Of course of song”. Song transforms Pete. (Historical note: he has always been bewildered by applause meant for back in the 1970s, Pete decided to quit singing. He him that he feels should rightly go to others. But to- actually became physically ill because he wasn’t night he looked like an 89-year old man, not quite singing. He decided to resume singing, and his illness sure what to do next. Then he stepped to the mike was cured.) Song transforms Pete. Let me explain. and started to sing, “One day, one day, sir, I was wal- Watching Seeger on stage tonight was most in- kin’ along, and I heard that Special singing a lone- teresting. When not leading the singing he sat quietly some song …” at the back, picking his banjo in a sparse style. Single We all quickly and silently sat down, like ob- notes played on a single string. For the most part he edient pupils when the headmaster appears. Mean- seemed almost uncertain of what was happening. His while, on stage, 5-string banjo, 6-string and 12-string eyes were the watery eyes of an old man. His hearing guitars all started to play, and the three singers sang, has deteriorated. “What key are we in?” he asked “Oh let the Midnight Special shine her light on me Guy. “G,” replied Guy. “B?” asked Pete. “G,” Guy …”. By the repeat of this line, the whole room was repeated. At one point, when Pete was introducing a singing and clapping along. I doubt there’s a perfor- song, Tao spoke in his ear, “Grandpa, don’t you play mer in the world who can have such an instantaneous the guitar for this song?” “Oh, yes,” replied Pete, and effect on an audience. exchanged banjo for guitar. And so the unbelievable evening unfolded. Guy But when he starts to sing he is transformed. His Davis sang blues and told stories, using his mouth eyes are pure fire, shooting sparks. His whole body harp to great advantage. Grandson Tao played his 12- radiates energy, the energy of his convictions. His string as to the manner born, and frailed a new tune voice grows stronger as the evening progresses. He on his banjo he called “Hugh’s Tune”. He told a story throws his head back and cuts loose, a famous Seeger of how, after living in Nicaragua for nine years, he gesture. The audience sings its heart out and Seeger came home to Beacon, New York, fluently bilingual, is ageless. For a brief shining moment we all believe and told his grandpa that he shouldn’t sing Spanish we can make the world a better place.