Celebrating Pete Seeger

Description

Local Performers Celebrate Pete Seeger's Life and Music on May 28 Musicians, marine biologists and friends of Clear Lake will pay tribute to the late Pete Seeger, iconic American folk singer and political activist, in a special event at the Soper Reese Theatre on Saturday, May 28.

"Celebrating Pete Seeger-Clearwater West" starts at 7:00 pm and all seats are $15. Chief organizer of this event, Mike Adams, Executive Director of the Soper Reese Theatre, says, The original Clearwater Festival was founded by Pete Seeger in the 1960's to bring attention to the toxic condition of the Hudson River in New York State, and the musical gathering quickly became a symbol of environmental advocacy. Many of the issues given voice by the Clearwater Festival (which is still in existence today) are issues we in Lake County face related to the protection of our lake.

The May 28 event is meant to celebrate the music and message of Pete Seeger, and to help us learn more about the history, biology and geology of Clear Lake. Several area musicians will play and sing the songs Seeger was best known for including "Where Have All the Flowers Gone", "We Shall Overcome", and "Turn, Turn, Turn". Dr. Harry Lyons, humorist, marine biologist and educator, and Jim Steele, marine biologist and educator, will provide entertaining and instructive narratives about Clear Lake, complete with some of Dr. Lyons' original songs.

Seeger's life and times will be honored by several well known musicians from the area including Don Coffin on guitar and mandolin. Don plays with the blue grass group, "Uncorked" and is one of the original members of Kate Wolf's band, "Wildwood Flower". Also playing is Will Siegel, on guitar and banjo. He teaches guitar at Mendocino College and was a member of the "Wildwood Flower" band. Peter Baird, who will play guitar at the concert, once played with Seeger when Baird was director of the Sacramento Labor Chorus. Baird also interviewed Seeger for his doctoral dissertation on children's musicians. Verne Morninglight has been a Pete Seeger fan since childhood, learning to play the 12 string guitar in the Elizabeth Cotton style of picking, as did Seeger. Verne has performed at such historic folk venues as the Hungry Eye in San Francisco. Special guest for the evening, Mandy Feder, will share her reminiscences of time spent with Seeger, who was a lifelong family friend. And then there will be the voices of the audience, so essential to a Seeger concert. The Emandal Chorale, directed by Don Willis, will get things started as they sing from the seats and encourage the rest of the audience to join in.

Tickets can be purchased online at soperreesetheatre.com; at the theatre box office, 275 S. Main St., Lakeport, on Fridays from 10:30 am to 5:30 pm; or at The Travel Center, 1265 S. Main St., Lakeport, Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. For more information please call 263-0577.