大象传媒

The folk-singer and activist Pete Seeger was often known as "America's Tuning Fork".

His appearance at Barack Obama's first inauguration concert brought him to public attention once more.

Drawing on the 大象传媒's extensive archive and on two recent new interviews with him, 大象传媒 World Service Arts Correspondent Vincent Dowd celebrates Seeger's life and examines his belief in the power of song.

Lucid and lively as ever, Pete spoke to Vincent as much about environmental and urban issues as about his lifelong commitment to disarmament and civil rights. Even at his grand old age, there was nothing predictable in his words - with refreshingly positive views about city life as the model of the future.

Above all, Seeger spoke about performing the Woody Guthrie song, This Land Is Your Land, with Bruce Springsteen outside the Lincoln Memorial for Barack Obama's inauguration. He also treated Vincent to an impromptu, unplugged version of This Land is Your Land.

Pete Seeger in Word and Song explores the continuing role of folk music in American political life while also celebrating the artist who brought the world songs such as Where Have All the Flowers Gone, If I Had a Hammer, Turn, Turn, Turn and new versions of spirituals such as We Shall Overcome.

Pete Seeger died in 2014 aged 94.

Producer: Beaty Rubens

First broadcast on 大象传媒 Radio 4 in May 2009.