Transcript of Pete Seeger on Woody Guthrie

Pete Seeger: Woody was the star of the evening. He was very laconic, like Will Rogers. He really admired Will Rogers. He named his son Will Rogers Guthrie. He himself was named after President Woodrow Wilson: Woodrow Wilson Guthrie. Because his father was a Democrat when he was born in 1912. Anyway, Woody would tell stories then sing a song and tell another story and then sing a song. He said, "Oklahoma's a very rich state you know; we got oil in Oklahoma. If you want some oil go down a hole in the ground, and get you some oil. We got coal in Oklahoma. If you want some coal, go down a hole in the ground, get you some coal. We got lead. If you want some lead, go down a hole in the ground, get you some lead. If you want food or clothes or groceries, just go in the hole and stay there." And then he'd sing a song . I tried to learn from him. But he was the world’s greatest.