Woody "Hard Travellin"

Woody Guthrie first came to my notice in 1965 in Dylan's "Song to Woody". His lyrics opened up a treasure box of history for me. I am presently listening to his 'Dustbowl Ballads', "Vigilante Man" would be my all time fave.

To those familiar with Woody there's not much I can say about this icon of the folk days that you don't already know.

Woody left us with a wealth of songs:

"This Land is Your Land", "This Train is Bound for Glory", "Do Re Me", "So Long, It's Bin Good to Know You" and "Pastures of Plenty" ..

Although, "This Land is Your Land" is credited to Woody it was first sung by The Carter Family.

I have just finished reading Woody's autobiography Bound for Glory. I found it rather monotonous, as was Guthrie's singing. Though without his influences we may not have had the privilege of seeing Dylan as we know him. Bob Dylan was greatly influenced by Woody Guthrie, aping his quirky stage characteristics. Without him we would not have been privy to a wealth of tunes recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary and The Weavers to name a few.

A folk singer in the true sense of the word, a troubadour who has left behind in his songs an account of the despair and poverty of The Depression Days of the 30's, his narrative voice has left us with knowledge of the times during the Dust Bowl caused by lack of forsight in agriculture.

"Tom Joad" John Steinbeck's 'Grapes of Wrath' 1930's

I found this video by fellow folk singers of his time; describes Guthrie and his arrival upon the folk scene in the city. It contains one of the surviving 1945 clips of Guthrie's "John Henry". Seems Guthrie was a 'travellin man', jumping boxcars and singing about the American countryside ..... the real deal.

Woodrow Guthrie was survived by his son Arlo Guthrie.

Donovan and crew "Hard Travellin" utube

Lonnie Donegan always a hoot “Hard Travellin”