Our Road to Woody Guthrie

3/25/2019

Our love for Woody Guthrie began in 2015 when we saw the musical production of Woody Sez. His life was filled with tragedy and loss, but he was a man who did not quit. Woody was restless and you can hear it in his songs. He was constantly on the move, never getting comfortable. From his restlessness, he found a strong and powerful voice. He used this voice to tell about the common man's plight, becoming a modern day folk hero.

Pastures of Plenty is one of our favorite Woody Guthrie songs.
It tells the tale of wandering dust bowlers. These hard-working people were ignored and pushed to the side, but our way of life depended on them. They worked our farms and cultivated our land, but we did not show them any gratitude, especially during the stress of the Great Depression.

Guthrie would sometimes pair his lyrics with familiar folk melodies. The song could then travel far and wide, instantly becoming recognizable, encouraging people to listen.

Pastures of Plenty uses the beautiful folk melody of "Pretty Polly", an Appalachian murder ballad dating back to the 18th century. It has a haunting and mysterious quality that we love. Below is a video of us performing it.

Once you watch our video, please keep scrolling. We have included some suggested podcasts and albums. Please take a listen to learn more about Woody and his songs.
We hope you enjoy his story and his music as much as we do.