Life, Music and Thought of Woody Guthrie, 2011

Edited by John S. Partington

‘Making excellent use of material from the Woody Guthrie Foundation and Archives in New York, this book examines Woody’s image, his songwriting, his politics and his friendships. In the process, a few myths are questioned and some new dimensions of his life and work are revealed. The result is a welcome portrait of Woody as a twentieth century figure with much to offer to the twenty-first. The book serves as an excellent introduction to Guthrie’s work as well as providing unexpected perspectives even for those of us who thought we knew all about him.’ – Dave Laing, Institute of Popular Music, University of Liverpool, UK

Contents:
-Preface- John S. Partington
-Foreword- Jorge Arévalo Mateus

Part I - ‘All You Can Write Is What You See’: Woody Guthrie’s Songs as Diagnosis and Cure: ‘Pastures of Plenty’

- Woody Guthrie and the New Deal ~ Richard Nate
- ‘There’s a better world a-coming’ ~ John S. Partington
- Woody Guthrie and the cultural front ~ Will Kaufman
- Playing legend maker: Woody Guthrie’s ‘Jackhammer John’ ~ Mark Allan Jackson
- ‘Words to shoot back at you’: Woody Guthrie’s ‘war’ against German Fascism ~ Martin Butler

Part II - Creating an Icon: The (Self-)Imaging of Woody Guthrie

- ‘Always on the go’: the figure of the hobo in the songs and writings of Woody Guthrie ~ Martin Butler
- ‘Hard travelin’: constructing Woody Guthrie’s dust bowl legacy ~ Jeff Morgan
- Woody Guthrie, aka ‘the guy who wrote This Land is Your Land’ ~ Frank Erik Pointner

Part III - Partnering and Siring: Woody Guthrie in Comparative Perspective

- Will Geer and Woody Guthrie: a folk music friendship ~ Ronald D. Cohen
- The performer and the promoter ~ Ed Cray
- Good man, honest man: Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan and the role of the folk outlaw ~ D.A. Carpenter

Ashgate. Hardcover. 216 pgs. 2011.