August 2009
2 posts
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While I was out in San Francisco this past Spring, I was interviewed by the San Francisco Examiner for their “3-Minute Interview) series. You can read it here: S.F. State professor digs on Pete Seeger.
July 2009
2 posts
Today is the 115th birthday of Aldous Huxley, writer — novelist, essayist, poet, screenwriter, and one of the great thinkers of our time. If you are interested in learning more, I’ve written two books on Huxley: Huxley in Hollywood and Aldous Huxley Recollected: An Oral History Both books are available in limited quantities from my website, davidkdunaway.com.
The other side of the pond, as they say. I’m spending some time in Europe before the fall semester starts up. At the moment I’m on a little (rainy) island off the coast of Scotland. In a few more days I’ll be headed off to Copenhagen to meet up with some friends, old and new!
June 2009
1 post
We’re back in New Mexico now, getting settled back in. It seems strange; though I’ve lived in this house for so many years I find myself having to remember where things are. Getting all of our computers up and running properly has been a minor nightmare, but I think we’ve finally got it fixed.(I hope!) Nonetheless, I’m enjoying the lovely view from my back yard, looking out...
May 2009
6 posts
(photo by Brant Ward / The Chronicle) Today I ran Bay To Breakers, where you cross the entire city of San Francisco, and its hills, in one wild, costumed, race. I ran past people wearing butterfly wings (her companion was carrying a net, but I noticed that she eluded him); Green bras, pink bras, no bras; a flying pig (“flying pig beats swine flu”); people dressed as cars; six women wearing silver...
Here’s a link to an SFSU News article about my BEA win. And another one that is a bit older, but on the same subject. I’m out buzzing around the coast today. I’m in Point Reyes, CA and I’ll be heading to Bolinas a little later in the day.
I was interviewed by the SF Examiner on the occasion of Pete Seeger’s 90th birthday. You can read all about it at sfexaminer.com
Photo: MSG Photos/George Kalinsky For those of you who, like me, didn’t get to attend the sold-out concert at Madison Square Gardens, here are some great shots by George Kalinsky and Chad Batka.
I got a mention in the sidebar of USA Today today in Bob Minzesheimer’s article “Pete Seeger’s 90th birthday will be a selfless celebration” And now, I’m off to be interviewed by the SF Examiner!
Thomas Ravn-Pedersen’s Danish version of a portion of my radio series on Pete Seeger was broadcast on Danish Radio P1 last night. It will be rebroadcast on Saturday at 10:03 and Sunday on 00:55 hrs. For more information (and to stream the program) go to http://www.dr.dk/P1/Dokumentartimen/Udsendelser/2009/04/10235251.htm
April 2009
8 posts
A portion of David’s radio series, “Pete Seeger: How Can I Keep From Singing?” has been translated into Danish and will be appearing on Danish Radio P1 on April 30th. (If you’re in Denmark on Thursday, Check your schedule for times.) He’ll be working on producing a longer version while he’s in Denmark this summer.
David is on his way back from Albany, where he made a special appearance on the world premiere of the DVD of Pete Seeger: Live in Australia, 1963. Here David offered insight from his 30+ years of research Pete. The program was broadcast live in Albany, but was also taped for broadcast in other markets. Although it is not being released for rebroadcast, viewers in the Albany area will be able to...
I’m in Las Vegas today at the Broadcast Educators Association (BEA) Festival 2009. I’m here to receive the BEA Best of Festival King Foundation Award along with the Best Documentary Award for my series, Pete Seeger: How Can I Keep From Singing? This is quite an honor for me! Though it is my third BEA award, it is still a thrill.
Following the BEA Festival, I’ll be flying to Albany, New York, to appear on an American Public Television showing of the 1963 Pete Seeger concert at Melbourne’s Town Hall, “Pete Seeger: Live in Australia 1963,” for which I wrote the liner notes. The program is being broadcast from the studio’s of WMHT-TV (channel 17 in Albany) from 7 to 8pm. The DVD will be released...
This is a test. If it works, we’ll probably...
Vermont Public Radio has just picked up the series - right there in Pete Seeger Country! My three-part radio series, Pete Seeger: How Can I Keep From Singing?, which ran nationwide last summer and fall on over 230 PRI stations, is being re-released and is now available to subscribers at www.PRX.org. You can listen to samples there, or at our series site, Peteseeger.org. Public Radio Exchange (AKA...
I’m doing a free lecture in San Francisco on May 9th from 3 to 5 pm. It’s going to be in room 609 of SF State’s downtown campus at 835 Market St. Here is the information from the flier: Have you, as a writer, student or producer, ever wondered whether to pursue a project in print vs. broadcast form? For two dozen years David King Dunaway has lived at the crossroads of...
My newest book, Singing Out: An Oral History of America’s Folk Music Revivals is off to my editors at Oxford. I’m writing this in collaboration wiht Molly Beer. The book is a multi-voiced telling of the story of folk music from the early collectors through to today’s online music communities. This book demonstrates the diversity behind the complex evolution of folk music in North...
March 2009
5 posts
I’ll be doing a radio program in Berkeley celebrating Pete’s Birthday on May 3rd. I’m really sorry to miss this one.~DKD _________________________________________ NEW YORK, March 18, 2009 —The Clearwater Concert: Creating the Next Generation of Environmental Leaders, a star-studded, one night only concert event celebrating Pete Seeger’s 90th Birthday, will be held on Sunday, May...
The American singer, songwriter, activist, environmentalist, and peace advocate Pete Seeger is The Freemuse Award Winner 2009. He is awarded on Music Freedom Day, 3 March 2009, for his commitment to musicians’ freedom of expression in an illustrious career which spans over sixty years. “Pete Seeger’s voice has been one which has constantly been on the side of the oppressed and which...
I’m flying back to New Mexico for a few days. It will be nice to get back. I hear they’ve had some warmer weather (in the upper 70’s!). Of course, the dreaded Spring Winds have also sprung up.
It’s been an extremely busy few months here as I teach a course here isn San Francisco and put final editing touches on the book Molly Beer and I have been working on, Singing Out: An Oral History of America’s Folk Music Revivals. And I’m happy to say that it’s finally gotten out the door to our editors at Oxford University Press. The book is a multi-voiced telling of the...
“Wonderfully rich vocals and jaunty acoustic guitar. Plenty of spirit and soul, humor and sorrow.”—The Washington Post “Blues music is truth.”—John CephasMaster blues guitarist and vocalist John Cephas died of natural causes on Wednesday, March 4, 2009. He was 78. Well known as one half of the award-winning Piedmont blues duo Cephas & Wiggins, John’s remarkable and delicate...
February 2009
7 posts
We just got the word today that the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) wants to license my radio series Pete Seeger: How Can I Keep From Singing? to run on the CBC-2 program, Inside the Music. This is a huge deal. As I understand it, CBC-2 was, until last September, a “serious” music channel. Recently it underwent a format change and is focusing on Canadian Artists, with the...
My big interest, aside from Pete Seeger and folk music, is The Mother Road, Route 66. Although the road was decommissioned in 1985, it remains a part of the our American consciousness. But is it strictly an American thing? Not by a long shot. Route 66 is, it seems, a world-wide phenomenon as witnessed by this video I found on Ron’s “Route 66 News” Blog. This is Moscow musician...
My three-part radio series, Pete Seeger: How Can I Keep From Singing?, which ran nationwide last summer and fall on Public Radio International, is being re-released and is now available to subscribers at www.PRX.org. You can listen to samples there, or at our series site, Peteseeger.org. For those unfamiliar, Public Radio Exchange (AKA PRX) is an online marketplace for distribution, review, and...
The San Diego School Board approved a resolution Tuesday night declaring that the board “deeply regrets its predecessors’ actions” and offered an apology to Pete Seeger for making him sign a pre-performance loyalty pledge in 1960. Here is a link to a piece by CBC-Radio in Canada cbc.ca/radioshows/AS_IT_HAPPENS/20090216 The program will play in Windows Media Player. Select Program...
Along with my teaching at SFSU this semester, I’ve been very busy working with Molly Beer, putting the final touches on my latest book, Singing Out: An Oral History of America’s Folk Music Revivals. We’re so close to wrapping it up.
As I mentioned a few weeks ago, Pete Seeger was nominated for his most recent album, At 89. We’re happy to say that, though the competition was stiff (albums by Pete’s sister, Peggy, Tom Paxton, as well as Kathy Mattea’s outstanding Coal being among the other nominations) Pete received the Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album. This is his second Grammy in this category, having...
Greetings from San Francisco! I was just informed that my radio series, Pete Seeger: How Can I Keep From Singing?has won in two categories for this year’s Broadcast Education Association Festival of Media Arts Awards! We were awarded Best Documentary and Best Audio. I’m beside myself with excitement as this is a very great honor from my peers in broadcast academia. OK, back to work...
January 2009
7 posts
January marks the 120th anniversary of Huddie William Ledbetter, the American folk and blues musician better known to the world as Lead Belly, King of the 12 string guitar. No one knows for sure his date of birth, or even the year. Some say it was as early as 1885, though his gravestone sets the year as 1889. Lead Belly, an ex-convict who was “discovered” by Alan Lomax went on to...
For those of you who haven’t heard my 3-part radio series, Pete Seeger: How Can I Keep From Singing?, we’re gearing up for a second run this May 3rd in honor of Pete’s 90th birthday. Stay tuned for updates on when and where the program will be running in your area. If you can’t wait that long, you can always purchase the 3-CD set at my website, davidkdunaway.com If...
Here’s some old footage of Pete singing Guantanamera. I’m not sure of the exact origin of this video posted on You Tube. I have an old archival recording I made when I was about 14 years old at Camp Abellard in New York. Pete came and sang to us campers and I had a chance to record it on reel-to-reel tape. After the performance, he signed some autographs and chatted with the kids. I...
My associate Rick noted that “it’s a great day in America when Barack Obama, Pete Seeger, and Bruce Springsteen appear before the world form our nation’s capital.” (Rick’s a huge Springsteen fan.)
A January 19th article — by Peter Dreier in the Huffington Post, no less — notes the growing call for Pete Seeger to be given the Nobel Peace Prize. There’s also a website — nobelprize4pete.org — where you can sign a petition to honor this man for his uncompromising and unyielding dedication to to goals of peace and justice. The important thing to note here is that...
I’m on the road today, in California’s great Central Valley. We had to put on the A/C because it was getting so warm. We’ve spent several delightful days along Route 66, but now we’re heading up to San Francisco State, where I’ll be teaching a broadcasting course for a few months. In other news, my manuscript of “A Route 66 Anthology” is off at a...
Pete Seeger’s been nominated for a Best Traditional Folk Grammy for his “At 89” CD released earlier this year. Among others, he’s up against Appleseed labelmate (and sister) Peggy Seeger for her album “Bring Me Home.” Others nominated in this category are Kathy Mattea,Tom Paxton, and Rosalie Sorrels.
December 2008
4 posts
A mere 24 days, 23 hours, 28 minutes, and 13 seconds from now, we’ll bid a gleeful adieu to the Bush regime’s reign of error.
I’m traveling with Nina and Alexei for the holidays. I’d like to wish you all the best and brightest of the season, for whichever tradition you may follow. We’ve been quite busy preparing for the award’s season, both book, and radio. On top of that, I’ve been assembling materials for the class I’ll be teaching at San Francisco State this next Spring...
I can’t believe we forgot this one! December 2nd marked the 103rd birthday of Folkways Records founder, Moe Asch. Moses “Moe” Asch and the label he founded, Folkways (Now Smithsonian Folkways)was instrumental in bringing folk music to the American public. Asch worked with such famous folk and blues singers as Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Leadbelly, and Ella Jenkins. He was the...
Winter seems to be here. It’s been cold and, today, even a little wet. Last week I was at CalTech, presenting a lecture on McCarthy era suppression of the folksinging community. (I was amazed at how small the actual campus property was for such a prestigious school!) Someone recently recommended the movie “Trumo” to me. I haven’t had a chance to see it, but I understand it...
November 2008
11 posts
My associate, Rick, snapped this photo of a woodpecker searching for food in the apple tree outside our office window. There’s quite an abundance of wildlife down here. Click on the photo to see the full-sized image or any of the other photos Rick has posted at Flickr.
Today, Saturday November 22nd, is the 45th anniversary of the death of author, poet, screenwriter, and visionary, Aldous Huxley. Huxley is someone I’m interested in, having written two books; Aldous Huxley Recollected, and Huxley in Hollywood. Both are available at my website, davidkdunaway.com. If you want to know more about this fascinating man who had such an influence on the American culture...
“Pete Seeger: How Can I Keep From Singing?,” my 3-part radio series heard on PRI stations from coast-to-coast this summer is now available in Mp3 format at CDBaby. Click the image below and it will take you to the ordering site.
You can also go here to listen to sample tracks of the program. If you’re a “traditionalist” who still clings to the old-fashioned (I kid!)...
Today we baked a reel-to-reel tape in a food dehydrator. Yes. You read that right. We’re preparing some 45+ year-old reel-to-reel tapes for digitization. These are programs I’ve produced or recorded over the years and are in rough shape. Baking the old tape in a food dehydrator (like you would use to make jerky or dry fruits and vegetables in)for 2 to 3 hours revitalizes the tape and...
I’m back from the Mother Road! Route 66 through Missouri was great, but the view out my window of the Bosque in autumn is one that can’t be beat. The winds are sweeping gold from the Cottonwoods and the Rio Grande is finally going down in height, so we know fall is here. Nights in the river valley are downright frosty, with temperatures dropping below freezing, and the wonderful aroma...
Just a quick note to let you know I’ll be hosting KUNM-FM’s Folk Routes on Saturday, November 22nd. The show is on from 10 to Noon. As you know, I’m a “bit” of a Pete Seeger aficionado. I’ll be playing Pete’s new CD, “At 89,” so if you haven’t heard it yet, now’s your chance. If you live outside of KUNM’s listening area, you can apparently listen to us in the...
“Experience teaches only the teachable.”
– Aldous Huxley
I’m still in Missouri today, traveling along that great old Route 66 and talking to people. I’ll be making a stop in St. Clair at the historical museum there. Later in the day, I’ll be up at the Route 66 State Park located at the former site of the town of Times Beach. This fascinating story dates back to the post-Vietnam era, when the local dirt roads were sprayed with oil to...