Artists from across Musical spectrum pay tribute to legendary Folk Icons
During the middle and late 1980s, rock ‘n’ rollers often came together to help those less fortunate with Live Aid, Farm Aid and other such projects. Critically renowned artists grew a bit more socially conscious than they had been during the previous decade, as the era produced recorded material by Band Aid and USA for Africa to benefit starving children.
Many top American performers of the day, including Bruce Springsteen, U2, Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson and Emmylou Harris, were at the forefront of music’s charity movement. In 1988, these artists joined others such as Brian Wilson, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Little Richard, Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie (Woody’s son) and Taj Mahal to record “Folkways: A Vision Shared – A Tribute to Woody Guthrie & Leadbelly.”
Guthrie and Huddie “Lead Belly” Ledbetter aka Leadbelly were folk legends. Many of us sang some of Guthrie’s work since we were in preschool, but sadly, none of us knew that he penned “This Land Is Your Land” as an angry response to Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America.”
Guthrie, who died in 1967, is one of America’s most treasured songwriters. His songs often addressed the plight of the underprivileged and disenfranchised. He was an advocate for socialism and possibly communism, but his work has influenced many rockers, folk singers and country folks. An untold many have covered his tunes.
Ledbetter (1888-1949) was a Black performer who lived during segregation. He was serving a prison sentence when his version of public-domain tune “Midnight Special,” which later was covered by Creedence Clearwater Revival and Paul McCartney, became famous. Another of his well-known songs, “Rock Island Line,” is performed on this album by Little Richard with help from eclectic rock band Fishbone. “Goodnight, Irene” is covered by Wilson, who made a comeback earlier that year after more than two decades spent away from the spotlight and in relative seclusion.
The top tracks on the record include U2’s rendition of Guthrie’s “Jesus Christ,” Mellencamp’s version of Guthrie’s “Do Re Mi” and Dylan’s version of “Pretty Boy Floyd.” The appearances by the aforementioned Little Richard and Wilson are refreshing, and Taj Mahal tones down Leadbelly’s “The Bourgeois Blues” a bit, to good results.
Arlo performs his dad’s “East Texas Red, while Harris does “Hobo’s Lullaby” and Nelson contributes “Philadelphia Lawyer. Springsteen contributes two songs, both penned by Guthrie, as he belts out “Vigilante Man” and does a heartfelt rendition of “I Ain’t Got No Home.” Sweet Honey in the Rock appears three times, first with “Sylvie” and “Gray Goose” before closing out the LP with Seeger, Doc Watson and The Little Red School House Chorus on “This Land Is Your Land.”
Guthrie and Leadbelly, while having different backgrounds, are strikingly similar in several respects. They sang for the everyman and most certainly were never accurately compensated for their work. But the shadow each cast was long, as they both influenced many who went on to achieve stardom. The two folk legends probably recorded music’s first protest songs. Guthrie was truly anti-establishment, while Leadbelly’s roots can be traced to work songs and field hollers.
ken@blanknews.com
