This band was made for Guthrie
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/story/147260p-129992c.html

Arnie,
I tweaked the url you posted to sneak past the 'sign in' guard.
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/18/arts/music/18GUTH.html?ex=1072328400&en=75cc8475808740fb&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE

Cache: Guthrie's daughter finds songs he wrote on Jewish themes
http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ%2FMGArticle%2FWSJ_RelishArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031772711156&path=!entertainment!music&s=1037645508978

This Lamp Is My Lamp
http://www.jrep.com/Arts/Article-0.html

December 29, 2003 ?
.... celery time

Granddaughter offers a glimpse of Guthrie
Students explore folksinger's life, art.
http://www.mlive.com/news/aanews/index.ssf?/base/news-8/1083077014232380.xml

Eminem?

In the New York Times Book Review today there is a review of a book by Bryan Burrough titled "Public Enemies" in which one of Woody's songs is mentioned.

"Another in this group, an Oklahoma bank robber named Charles (Pretty Boy) Floyd, would become a true folk hero of the plains, the subject of a classic Woody Guthrie song of protest against capital: ''Yes, as through this world I've wandered, / I've seen lots of funny men, / Some will rob you with a six-gun, / And some with a fountain pen.''

"Why Woody Guthrie Matters"
The voice of the folk singer still resonates decades later
http://www.metrobeat.net/gbase/Expedite ... oid%3A2356

Requiem for a 'Dream'
"Woody Guthrie Dreams Before Dying" Thursday-Nov. 21, Nov. 26-27 Creative Alliance 410-276-1651

By Wendi Kaufman
Special to The Washington Post
Friday, November 12, 2004; Page WE24

FOLK SINGER, WRITER and political activist Woody Guthrie spent the last 13 years of his life in a hospital bed. The freight-train-hopping troubadour -- as depicted in his memoir, "Bound for Glory" -- the man who penned the anthemic "This Land Is Your Land," who spoke up for the disenfranchised, suffered from Huntington's chorea, a degenerative disease that left him unable to write, speak or sing.

Guthrie's final days are the subject of writer Michael Patrick Smith's new play, "Woody Guthrie Dreams Before Dying," opening Thursday at the Creative Alliance in Baltimore. Smith, a longtime fan of the iconic American folk singer, also stars in the title role.

Kyle Riley as Cisco Houston, left, Michael Patrick Smith as Woody, Christopher Yeiser as Lee Hays and David Baston as Pete Seeger in Smith's "Woody Guthrie Dreams Before Dying." (Rob Kauzlarich)

"His life story was always about rambling and traveling," Smith says. "The thought of this man of action being stuck in bed was so compelling. What would he do?"

He would dream. Smith contends that Guthrie would have continued to be active through his dream life. That premise was the genesis of the play, which begins with Guthrie lying in bed. Fact and fiction soon part company as Smith has the folk singer relive key moments of his life through dreams; important figures, some real and some imagined -- including an ex-wife, Joseph Stalin and Jesus -- make an appearance. The play also features a live performance of Guthrie's music by the ensemble cast.

Artistic director of Baltimore's the Living Room Company, Smith has directed, written and produced dozens of plays in Baltimore and New York, including writing "BOX," "Trust the Government," and "Sunsets," which recalls the events of 9/11 and was his first show with the Creative Alliance.

As preparation for "Dreams," Smith spoke with everybody he could find who had a connection with Guthrie, including Nora Guthrie (Woody's daughter) and folk singer Pete Seeger. Smith read hundreds of pages of Guthrie's original handwritten lyrics and manuscripts at the Guthrie archives in New York, spoke to Huntington's specialists in Baltimore and even drove to Guthrie's home town of Okemah, Okla.

Through the course of his research, Smith found he had much in common with the folk singer, who died in 1967. Both had rural roots -- Smith grew up on a farm in Frederick County -- and many of Guthrie's struggles and political beliefs were close to his own.

"I became obsessed," admits Smith, who found himself at one point buried in too much information.

"I felt lost, I wasn't sure what to focus on. I wasn't even sure if it should be a one-man show or a full cast."

Guthrie's daughter provided the key; she mentioned the mythological figure of the trickster during a conversation with Smith.

"It opened the door for me," Smith says. " It touched on all the reasons I wanted to write this play, to have it rooted in the mythology of America, in folk tales and folk songs and storytelling. Once I kept that in mind, I had the freedom to make it the story I wanted."

A play that travels through the ups and downs of his Guthrie's musical career, his marriages and his battle with a fatal illness sounds as if it could end on a discordant note. Not so, says Smith, who says the work is about hope, courage and redemption.

"It's cool, I guess, to be pessimistic these days. But I think it takes an act of courage to be optimistic, to put it all on the line. That takes guts. That is what Woody was all about."

The weekend edition of The Financial Times newspaper (Nov.13, Nov.14) has a review of the book about Woody by Ed Cray,"Ramblin' Man: The Life and Times of Woody Guthrie" on page W4.
A large photo of Woody is included with the review.

http://www.dirtylinen.com/linen/115/

under the most recent issue (David Bromberg on the cover) click on concert reviews for a review of the 2004 Woody Guthrie Folk Festival
(includes a nice photo of Arlo):

Woody Guthrie Folk Festival
Okemah, OK
July 14-18, 2004

July 14, 2004, marked the 92nd anniversary of Woody Guthrie's birth, and the tribute concert to honor him that opened the seventh annual Woody Guthrie Folk Festival was billed as a birthday celebration. More than 15 artists, all familiar favorites from previous festival years, performed a varied mix of Guthrie's songs in a show that lasted more than two and a half hours. Featured performers included Jimmy LaFave, Slaid Cleaves, Arlo Guthrie, Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion, Ray Bonneville, the Burns Sisters, and Mary Reynolds. The annual tribute concert is the only ticketed event of the weekend-long festival, and a fundraiser that helps to present the other four days of music events for free.

Guthrie's rural hometown of Okemah, Oklahoma, hosts the festival every year. In the beginning, opinions in the small town were split. There were those who considered Guthrie to be an un-American troublemaker not worthy of recognition. And there were still others who felt that his musical legacy should be recognized, celebrated, and perpetuated. Fortunately the latter were able to prevail. Residents' attitudes have gone from angry accusations of Guthrie being a Communist, to suspicious tolerance, to embracing his legion of loyal fans. And while the economic boost that a festival provides to such a small community is certainly welcome, the kindness and hospitality of openhearted locals is genuine.

Late Thursday morning, as the festival was getting into full swing, outreach concert performances were occurring at various locations around town. Each year festival organizers arrange for several of the visiting musicians to perform music for members of the community who would otherwise not have the opportunity to experience it. Four such events were presented at area nursing homes and senior centers. Mary Reynolds, the Farm Couple, Jeff Plankenhorn, and Emily Kaitz all shared their talents in separate performances.

Another fascinating aspect of the festival, and of being in Okemah, is the opportunity to meet and visit with Mary Jo (Guthrie) Edgmon. "Woody's baby sister," now well into her 80s, is a regular fixture at the event. She sponsors an Annual Pancake Breakfast where, for just $5, one can feast on pancakes while taking in brief, informal performances of any number of artists who might show up. All proceeds from the breakfast benefit research to find a cure for Huntington's chorea, the disease that took Woody Guthrie's life in 1967.

Edgmon is an accomplished visual artist, as well. Signed prints of her folk-art depictions of Guthrie's life are available for sale. And if you're not too busy, she'll explain them all to you in vivid detail, with a grace and charm which is all her own. Spending 20 minutes or so with her was an unforgettable delight.

Although Guthrie left Oklahoma in 1929, Oklahoma never left him. He was forever an "Okie" and, as such, Oklahoma artists have a sizeable presence throughout the weekend, helping to shape the character of Woody Fest. The short list includes Tom Skinner, Carter Sampson, Dante, Brandon Jenkins, Amanda Cunningham, and Bill Erickson.

There is perhaps no artist who better exemplifies what has come to be known as "Red Dirt music" than Bob Childers. He helped to define the style that is decidedly Southern, with equal parts folk, country, rock, red dust, and attitude. Childers is a legend of sorts in Oklahoma music circles and possesses an easy manner and laid-back style both on and off the stage. His performance was raucous and fun, and made even more enjoyable by fiddler Randy Crouch, who leaned deeply and lovingly into every note he played.

Making a triumphant return for the second consecutive year was the Lansing, Michigan-based acoustic quartet Steppin In It. Their stunning performance at the 2003 fest was still the topic of conversation, and many wondered if the band could repeat in '04 with the same excitement and enthusiasm. One needn't have worried: These guys genuinely love what they do. Their passion for folk music, no matter what the style, is contagious, and they launched easily into waltz, two-step, blues, and more.

A popular favorite of many repeat visitors to the festival is the country-flavored folk-rock of Oklahoma's own Red Dirt Rangers. On June 26, with the festival just a few weeks away, tragedy struck when a sightseeing helicopter that band members were flying in crashed into the Cimarron River. The helicopter's pilot and one passenger were killed in the accident. All three band members survived, but were badly injured, and various fundraisers were set up at Woody Fest and elsewhere to help the uninsured musicians. The absence of the Red Dirt Rangers left a void at Woody Fest, not only in the performance schedule, but in the hearts of so many who'd hoped to hear them sing again.

Jimmy LaFave's performance is always a highlight at the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival. He has fervently supported the annual event, performed every year since the first, and made himself abundantly available to fans as well as media. When he and his band took the stage, there was no mistaking they meant to entertain. LaFave's band is one of the best around, and its music flowed effortlessly from one song into the next. "Buffalo Return to the Plains," "Deep South 61 Delta Highway Blues," and Guthrie's "Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad" all helped to create a charged atmosphere. By the time LaFave began his encore, the Band's popular song "The Weight," the entire audience was standing and singing along.

Headlining Friday night's main stage was Nashville singer/songwriter Steve Earle. His solo acoustic performance, coming on the heels of LaFave's high-energy set, seemed subdued by contrast but was no less satisfying. His song in tribute to Woody Guthrie, "Christmas in Washington," was a moving highlight. Earle, an activist passionate on many topics, works tirelessly against the death penalty. He gives his time to Amnesty International and is active on peace issues as well. How sad then, that his timely and powerful message appeared to have been overshadowed by the language he chose to deliver it.

No one seemed to blink an eyelash at Earle's first three or four uses of the "f- word." However, as it rolled from his lips more and more frequently, people began to tire of it. Many in the audience, offended by the language, simply picked up their belongings and left. Clearly, Earle's own fans were thrilled to see him, but he may well have squandered the opportunity to reach potential new ones. On the day following Earle's performance, many festivalgoers recounted his words, yet few recalled his message.

Most of the artists in attendance sang at least one Guthrie tune. Highlights of those performances were the Burns Sisters' rendition of "God's Promise," Mary Reynolds' achingly beautiful "Hobo's Lullaby," and "When the Curfew Blows" by Joel Rafael. Perhaps the most wonderfully surprising Guthrie cover was performed by Ray Bonneville. His riveting interpretation of "Gamblin' Man" toward the end of Wednesday night's tribute concert not only brought a tiring audience to attention, it set the stage for what would become one of the most talked about sets of music the entire weekend.

As time drew near for Bonneville's Saturday afternoon solo set inside the historic Crystal Theatre, festival patrons filled the seats excitedly. He delivered a brilliant performance that more than matched the audience's expectations. Bonneville sampled songs from most of his five albums, concentrating on the recent Roll It Down [Red House Records]. He accompanied himself on electric guitar and harmonica, all the while tapping his foot on a wooden board that was miked beneath his chair.

Bonneville's sound is difficult to describe accurately. Often called a bluesman, he takes an approach of quiet confidence onstage and a sheer, electric enjoyment in what he is doing. He sings from the heart and to the heart, communicating effortlessly. It is blues, but with soul. Bonneville has managed to harness that elusive and indescribable thing…the groove. It's the intangible "feel" of the music, the space between the notes.

The final time slot at the 2004 Woody Guthrie Folk Festival belonged, fittingly, to Arlo Guthrie. Throughout the weekend, a very relaxed-looking Guthrie accompanied several of the performers onstage (Hans Theessink and Jimmy LaFave both benefitted from his impromptu contributions). But on this night, the stage and the audience belonged to the son of the world's most famous Oklahoman. Guthrie was accompanied by two of his children -- son Abe on keyboards and daughter Sarah Lee on guitar -- and son-in-law Johnny Irion also played keyboards.

Guthrie and his band ran through a host of familiar favorites, including "Me and Bobby McGee," "City of New Orleans," and "Mr. Tambourine Man." They closed the set and the festival with what has become a Woody Fest tradition, an all-inclusive version of Woody Guthrie's most well-known song, "This Land Is Your Land." Joined on stage by every artist in attendance, Guthrie lead the song and the audience added their voices. It was a scene of unity which could convince one to truly believe that "this land was made for you and me."

--Annette C. Eshleman (Lancaster, PA)

janet~ What a wonderful post you wrote today, with regards to 'Woody Fest'!! It is absolutly the laid-back atmosphere, all week long that makes this Event so GREAT!

As you noted, The early years of the 'Woody Fest', for those of us in attendance, sort of 'took it for granted' that, of course it will happen each year from now on. However when I asked some members of The Woody Coalition, I was so surprised when I got a somewhat bewildered look, & no confirmation as to IF there would be a second Fest!

There was one eldery man, {@ the 1st Fest} who clearly did NOT want any of us Hippy-Commies in Okemah. And he seemed to be around each corner, fussing about all that mess! If other native Okemahans, didnt want us there, We didnt run into them!

Also, for at least the first two years, anyone could book a room at the little Motel! Of course these days you are lucky to get a room in Henrietta! But the camp grounds are quite alot of fun, given one has the bones for such an adventure! Unless you have Proper campng gear! {just an idea, we camp one night, & to a Motel the next,etc.}

After all of the fun at the Pasture of Plenty, then head downtown to hang out at The Brick Street Cafe, & listen to some more good tunes with open mic. More than likely, while listening to these good folks singing their hearts out for everyone, you might glance at the next table & see Jimmy, Bob, Mary, Darcie, Terry 'Buffalo', & on & on & on!

Now back to the camp ground, & after a more than full day & night of great tunes, these great musicians, are hangin' out & strummin', singing, laughing & just wanting to get to know, all the folks who've been listening to them for days! So 'round about 4AM, or so, we just gotta get us some sleep! Cuz, heck the tunes will begin at 10 AM, & thus is the Blunderful, Wonderful, Delightful, & Rightful, Tribute to Woody!

In this case, I just have a difficult time reconsiling the fact that the years, too many long years had to pass, before this Amazing Woody Festival, came about! And since everyone involved in making this Festival happen each year, from The Coalition, The Towns Folk, & most importantly ALL of the GUTHRIES, want this event to be a Family Friendly.

I dont recall if it was the 1st or 2nd year, while at the benifit at The Crystal, the show was so great, & we were so happy to see Country Joe again, he rocked the rafters, however that 'F- word' came up! We've sure missed seeing him there!

Each year we have the Great Ones, as you've already mentioned, and always some Great New Folks as well. BTW, The Red Dirt Rangers have been playing again! They've been back on the road since October, so hopefully we can all look forward to seeing them in July!

Peace for all!
Ruth Baum Harrison

http://www.kikomusic.com/woody/
"God and the Ghost of Woody Guthrie" a play by Tom Flannery
Next showing:
February 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, 27 2005
Showcase Theatre - Exeter PA
http://www.kikomusic.com/woody/notes.html
http://www.kikomusic.com/woody/reviews.html

"LaFave and friends to celebrate Guthrie's folk genius"
http://www.jsonline.com/onwisconsin/mus ... 302236.asp

"THIS MAN IS YOUR MAN"
Published in the Asbury Park Press 02/18/05
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articl ... 031/NEWS02
article about the "Bound for Glory" exhibit and "Ribbon of Highway Endless Skyway" concert coming to Monmouth University.
The exhibit opens today and the concert will be on March 4.

The April 17, 2005 issue of The New York Times Book Review has a review of a book titled "The Outlaw Bible of American Literature" written by David Gates.
The review includes a photo of Woody among the many members of "The Rebel Establishment."