Chopping Wood is Pete Seeger up close and
personal like never before. Derived from years of conversations between
Seeger and his close friend and collaborator David Bernz, it takes
readers on a uniquely personal journey through this legendary folksinger
and songwriter remarkable life and career, in his own words.
Listen
in as Pete unabashedly shares historical and family stories; tells of
learning the banjo, traveling with Woody Guthrie, and finding commercial
success with The Weavers; explains how he wrote books and put together
songs; delves into controversial subjects like communism and the
Peekskill Riots; and highlights those he admired and respected,
including Bruce Springsteen, who honoured Pete with his Seeger Sessions album in 2006.
Pete
and David share the heavy lifting as they tackle subjects such as the
1965 Newport Folk Festival, Pete’s relationship to Greenwich Village,
and the need for copyright reform. Together, they describe how Pete put
his worldview into practice in his local community, how he lived with
local hero status in later life, and how they made recordings together
that resulted in two Grammy Awards.
• Published ahead of the release of a major Hollywood biopic, A Complete Unknown,
starring Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan and prominently featuring
Benedict Cumberbatch as Seeger. The film, due for release in late 2024,
is sure to reignite interest in folk music in general and Seeger and
Dylan in particular.
'There is no one more important as a source of inspiration and process in the world of folk music than Pete.' Peter Yarrow (Peter, Paul & Mary)
Minimally edited to preserve
Seeger’s trademark cadence, the book is punctuated by historical images
and additional commentary by David Bernz, as well as remembrances from
other musicians and friends and a foreword by Arlo Guthrie. Readers will
come to know Pete more deeply as they hear this gentle, principled
man’s voice resonate in their own heads and bear witness to his humility
and willingness to respect those whose opinions differed greatly from
his own—vital qualities in these troubled and divisive times.