Dunaway @ Tumblr

For the last thirty years, I've documented the work of Pete Seeger, resulting in How Can I Keep From Singing? The Ballad of Pete Seeger, published by McGraw Hill in 1981 and revised, updated, and republished by Villard/Random House, 2008.

Having written half a dozen volumes of history and biography, my specialty is the presentation of folklore, literature, and history via broadcasting. I've been active in radio since 1972, but over the last dozen years I've been Executive Producer of award-winning national radio series for Public Radio International, including “Writing the Southwest” (1995); “Aldous Huxley's Brave New Worlds” (1998); “Across the Tracks: A Route 66 Story” (2001); and Pete Seeger: How Can I Keep From Singing? (2008). I'm currently a DJ for KUNM-FM and a professor at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.
January 30

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 influence many musicians, including Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger.

For a quick rundown on Lead Belly’s…