Seeger was a celebrated presence in the Greenwich Village folk scene into which an unknown singer-songwriter named Bob Dylan would drop in 1961.
Updated: Jan. 12, 2025, 8:56 a.m.Pete Seeger , Bruce Springsteen and others pay tribute to Woody Guthrie as part of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's first American Music Masters event in 1996. Over the course of nearly 75 years, the singer, songwriter and activist Pete Seeger used his pen and his voice to champion many causes: civil rights, farmworker and labor rights, and the environment.
So why did filmmaker James Mangold throw Seeger under the bus in the widely acclaimed film about Bob Dylan, “A Complete Unknown?” Seeger was not silenced. He would go on to popularize many songs in the American Songbook: “On Top of Old Smoky,” “Erie Canal” and the iconic Woody Guthrie song, “This Land is Your Land,” which celebrated the United States as a beautiful and welcoming country “made for you and me.”
At one point, he paused to tell the audience that he loved Oberlin because decades earlier the college welcomed him when others didn’t. He was speaking of his decade-long blacklisting for his Communist Party membership in the 1940s that meant he was unwelcome in most venues. Disillusioned with the Soviet Union, he left the party in 1949.
Seeger was a contemporary of Guthrie, but since Guthrie was sidelined by disease, Seeger would become Guthrie’s voice. The movie suggests Seeger felt Dylan would carry on his.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Edward Norton on Playing Pete Seeger in 'A Complete Unknown'Edward Norton discusses his role as Pete Seeger in the upcoming Bob Dylan biopic 'A Complete Unknown', his collaboration with Timothée Chalamet, and the significance of the 1965 Newport Folk Festival scene.
Read more »
A Complete Unknown Soundtrack: Cast Sings Live for an Impressive Folk Music ExperienceThe film's soundtrack features a collection of iconic folk music, primarily focusing on Bob Dylan's early work. The cast recorded the songs live, showcasing their vocal talents and adding an authentic touch to the film.
Read more »
A Complete Unknown: Bob Dylan's Controversial Newport Folk Festival SetJames Mangold's A Complete Unknown, a biopic about Bob Dylan, culminates with his electric performance at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, a pivotal moment that divided audiences. The film explores Dylan's rise to fame in the 1960s, his evolving musical style, and his complex relationship with Pete Seeger. Dylan's decision to use an electric guitar at the festival, a departure from his traditional folk sound, resulted in boos from purists and an attempt by Seeger to cut his cables.
Read more »
A Complete Unknown: A Critique of Dylan's Folk EraThis review explores James Mangold's film 'A Complete Unknown,' praising its acting, writing, and cinematography while highlighting a lack of contextual depth. The author argues that the film, while enjoyable, fails to capture the historical and societal forces that fueled Bob Dylan's iconic songwriting during the early 1960s folk revival.
Read more »
A Complete Unknown: Bob Dylan Biopic Explores Controversial Transition to Electric Folk RockA Complete Unknown, a new historical biopic, charts the early career of Bob Dylan and his controversial shift from acoustic folk to electric folk rock in the 1960s.
Read more »
A Complete Unknown Review: The Music Shines, But The Story Stumbles'It's a movie about music that is authentic.' A COMPLETE UNKNOWN, a film by James Mangold. Only in theaters Christmas Day. New York, 1961.
Read more »