David Amram


l-r - David Amram, Pete Seeger, Odetta and Toshi Regan at The Clearwater Festival, Beacon NY Summer 2008
- Photos by Maxine Smith and John Economos -
Click The PixTo View More Photos at econosmith.com!

To Pete on his 90th

Pete Seeger has been a source of inspiration to me since I saw him playing a concert for Henry Wallace's presidential campaign in the 40's. When we first played together in the 60s, he was already a role model of someone whose art and life were all about sharing ones blessings with others and using music as a way of uniting all people.

Just a few weeks ago, we were filmed playing a duet as well as doing an interview for an upcoming PBS show honoring the radio show Woody's Children, hosted by Bob Sherman of the New York Times.



I reminded Pete, after we did everything in one take, with no rehearsal, of how Woody's son Arlo had often said about Pete "Whenever I play with Pete, we never rehearse and it always come out right." In a half a century and hundreds of events with Pete, we still haven't rehearsed yet. That's because Pete is the consummate musical artist who always knows the right thing to do and puts you into his world to the extent that you surrender yourself to the music and to the moment as he does. When you play with Pete, you can't go wrong.

One of my favorite unrehearsed moments with Pete was in the 1960s when he invited my jazz quartet with the great drummer Elvin Jones to accompany him on his classic song "Where Have all the Flowers Gone" in a concert we were doing in Tompkins Square Park in NYC.

When the master baritone sax player Pepper Adams asked me "What the hell is that?" drummer Elvin Jones, who was playing in our quartet with Pepper that night said "Pepper, it's deep. You'll dig it. Just a few chords but a whole lot of soul. When you hear Pete sing it, you'll know what to do."

Over the past fifty years, we have played countless benefits, folk festivals, fund raisers for Native American causes and dozens of events for World Peace through music and programs for his beloved Clearwater. Since I live a few miles from the Hudson River, it is incredible to see what Pete and Clearwater have accomplished.

Fish swim in the Hudson River again, and people enjoy the pristine waters, which not too long ago were well on the way to becoming a toxic nightmare. Pete, and all the volunteers he has inspired, made what many considered his dream of cleaning up the Hudson become a reality.

Like a whole generation of today's young people, my own three children, have all grown up with their lives enriched by his music and his philosophy. Today's young people all know of Clearwater's example of how all of us can make a difference. And that all of us can and must make a contribution.

When my son got married last summer and Pete and Toshi came, we talked a little about how amazing it was that the ideals which were considered so radical long ago were now becoming part of the mainstream. And how our children and future generations would now become involved more than anyone ever dreamed of, in having a sense of responsibility for the planet's survival.

And we reminisced about our playing together with Arlo and a large contingent of Native Americans in 1978 who had walked all the way across the country for The Longest Walk to bring attention to their culture and the need for all Americans to come together and show respect for one another as well as for our Mother Earth.

I told Pete how Floyd Red Crow Westerman, with whom I played for forty years, said to me "Dave, Pete is what we Lakota call a straight arrow. He walks the walk he talks."

I am grateful to be playing with the Native American Indian Cultural Alliance, accompanying Roland Moussa for this historic concert, and such a stellar group of other committed musical artists who are all gathered together to honor Pete's glorious selfless ninety years and to benefit the Clearwater, and assure its survival.

As they say in the South "We are the honey that draws the flies."

All of us, from all styles of music, are there to celebrate both Pete and the ideals that Pete embraces. And to see that the Clearwater continues, stronger than ever.

Happy birthday Pete, you are the embodiment of Dylan's song "Forever Young"

David Amram
March 20, 2009
Peekskill Hollow Farm
Putnam Valley New York

Also Of Note! - On January 18th, The Obama Inaugural Celebration concert, "We Are One" was performed at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial to a massive throng. Amongst the cavalcade of performers was legendary singer, songwruter, activist, Pete Seeger. Along with his Grandson Tao Rodriguez-Seeger, Bruce Springsteen and the Brooklyn Baptist Choir they led the crowd in a galvinising sing-along. Witness the Power of Song! Click Here to watch as everyone joins in on the Woody Guthrie song, "This Land is Your Land."

"I will be glad to tell what songs I have ever sung,
because singing is my business!"


Happy Birthday Pete!

To Learn more about David Amram go to:

www.davidamram.com