After listening to this multi-artist two-CD celebration of Pete Seeger's songs, you'll be delighted to read in the liner notes that it's "just the beginning of at least four volumes." Producer Jim Musselman calls the package a "labor of love," and that's clearly what it was. Musselman did a terrific job of choosing the songs from Seeger's vast repertoire, and of matching each tune with an artist "based on either the philosophical fit between the artist and the message of the song and/or their unique musical style." Even the extensive liner notes -- which include info on each performer, plus comments on every song by Seeger and the performer -- testify to the effort that went into the project. The result is one of the most consistently successful tribute albums on the market.
The material is wonderful; whether you think of Seeger primarily as an interpreter or a crusader for social justice, you'll be impressed by this reminder of just how many classic tunes he has written or cowritten and how many topics he's covered -- everything from the Byrds-popularized "Turn, Turn, Turn" (Bruce Cockburn) to the lullaby "One Grain of Sand" (Odetta) to "Kisses Sweeter than Wine" (Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt).
The performers, who range in age from five to 85, are a motley crew; and while they include more than a few obscure artists who apparently made the grade because they happen to be signed to Appleseed or its affiliated labels, the collection also features lots of big names. More importantly, nearly all of the 39 recordings are first-rate. Among the many highlights: Bruce Springsteen's gentle reading of "We Shall Overcome"; Greg Brown's "Sailing Down My Golden River"; Roger McGuinn's "Bells of Rhymney" (a song he first recorded with the Byrds); and Ani DiFranco's "My Name Is Lisa Kalvelage."
Perhaps most touching, though, is the concluding number, Pete Seeger's own recording of his newly written "And Still I Am Searching." Sadly, the track does back up Seeger's statement in the liner notes that "I hardly have any voice left." But it also evidences the spirit that gave birth to all these songs. That spirit was still very much alive in the septuagenarian Seeger when this album was released, and thanks to his music, it will be around long after he's gone. ~ Jeff Burger, All Music Guide
Frank Lee (Banjo), John Stewart (Performer), John Trudell (Performer), Fred Hellerman (Guitar), The Weavers (Performer), David Glasser (Mastering), Bruce Springsteen (Vocals), Stella Jones (Vocals), Rod McVey (Producer), Cathy Fink (Guitar (Rhythm)), David Lindley (Guitar), Abby Newton (Cello), Gordon Johnson (Bass), Cathy Fink (Banjo), Nina Gerber (Guitar (Acoustic)), Cathy Fink (Engineer), Scott Petito (Piano), Casey Neill (Guitar), Matthew Ryan (Vocals), Rick Eckstein (Bass), Nanci Griffith (Vocals), Holly Near (Performer), Ronnie Freeland (Mixing), Tommy Sands (Vocals), Tony Trischka (Performer), Cathy Fink (Vocals), Larry Packer (Violin), Mark Miller (Engineer), Mark Clifford (Banjo), Cliff Eberhardt (Dobro), Richie Havens (Guitar), John McClure (Producer), Dolores Keane (Performer), Laura Risk (Fiddle), Zev Katz (Bass), Tommy Makem (Vocals), Rick Walker (Percussion), Vedran Smailovic (Performer), Toby Scott (Engineer), John Gorka (Guitar), Marco Accattatis (Bass (Electric)), Tommy Sands (Arranger), Ani DiFranco (Producer), Bruce Cockburn (Vocals), Frank Vilardi (Drums), Linda McRae (Vocals (Background)), Marcy Marxer (Dulcimer (Hammer)), Amy Ray (Vocals), Odetta (Vocals), Kevin McCormick (Bass), Ani DiFranco (Performer), Sara Lee (Bass), Lee Hays (Vocals), Steve Lucas (Bass), Mark Miller (Mixing), Donovan (Performer), Roger McGuinn (Producer), Judy Collins (Producer), Fred Hellerman (Vocals), Tim Robbins (Producer), Kevin Buell (Assistant Engineer), Eliza Carthy (Performer), Pete McDonald (Drums), Peter Irvine (Producer), Eva Amurri (Vocals), Nitanju Bolade Casel (Vocals), Tim Eriksen (Vocals), Reggie Harris (Performer), Patti Scialfa (Vocals (Background)), Rory Makem (Mandolin), Tom Tucker (Engineer), Michael Amendola (Saxophone), Alexa Caesar (Vocals), Tom Paxton (Performer), Kim & Reggie Harris (Performer), Doug Trantow (Engineer), Donovan (Guitar), Richie Rosenberg (Trombone), Martin Simpson (Guitar), Amanda Schreiber (Vocals), Bernice Johnson Reagon (Vocals), Terry Leonino (Vocals), Eric Taylor (Vocals), Richie Havens (Performer), Liam O'Flynn (Whistle (Human)), Tom Tucker (Mixing), Justin Mayer (Engineer), Marlene Rice (Viola), Peter Ostroushko (Mandolin), Robert Biles (Engineer), Betty Scott (Director), Chip Dolan (Accordion), Tommy Makem (Whistle (Human)), Gillian Welch (Vocals), Rick Eckstein (Keyboards), Eliza Carthy (Violin), Tish Hinojosa (Performer), Gary Ray (Percussion), Jay Joyce (Vocals), Jim Rooney (Producer), Tim Robbins (Vocals), Charlie Giordano (Accordion), Maurice Smith (Flute), Cathy Fink (Performer), Ted Jones (Vocals), Jerry Marotta (Drums), Pete Seeger (Guitar), Ron Lawrence (Violin), Frank Christian (Guitar (12 String)), Greg Brown (Performer), Bruce Springsteen (Guitar), Jim Robeson (Engineer), Don Gehman (Engineer), Dean Magraw (Guitar), Pete Seeger (Vocals), Studs Terkel (Performer), Billy Bragg (Performer), Peter Yarrow (Producer), Vedran Smailovic (Cello), Marcy Marxer (Mandolin), Carol Maillard (Vocals), Paul Pearcy (Percussion), Joe Arlotta (Engineer), Martin Simpson (Performer), Gary Mankin (Engineer), Greg Artzner (Guitar), James Blennerhassett (Double Bass), Doug Lancio (Guitar (Electric Resonator)), John Stewart (Vocals), John Trudell (Vocals), Glen Phillips (Vocals), Rory Makem (Guitar), Bruce Springsteen (Performer), Sosanna Ni Dhubhain (Choir, Chorus), Akua Dixon (Cello), Lee Peterzell (Engineer), David Robbins (Producer), Judy Collins (Vocals), John Gorka (Performer), Pete Seeger (Banjo), Holly Near (Vocals), Mino Cinelu (Percussion), Martin Simpson (Producer), Jim Rooney (Vocals), Si Kahn (Guitar), Sebastian Haimerl (Assistant Engineer), Eric Weissberg (Vocals), Frank Christian (Vocals), Jean Ritchie (Vocals), Rod McVey (Keyboards), Paul Dieter (Engineer), Soozie Tyrell (Vocals (Background)), Emily Saliers (Banjo), Roger McGuinn (Vocals), Doug Robinson (Guitar (Bass)), Emily Saliers (Vocals), Robin Flower (Performer), Libby McLaren (Piano), Ani DiFranco (Bass), Ani DiFranco (Guitar), Jim Lovell (Engineer), Nancy Katz (Bass (Upright)), Bonnie Raitt (Performer), Marcy Marxer (Vocals), Dolores Keane (Vocals), Larry Eagle (Percussion), Liam O'Flynn (Uillean Pipes), Si Kahn (Vocals), John Bucchino (Piano), Nanci Griffith (Producer), Mark Shark (Guitar), Pete Seeger (Liner Notes), Scott McAllister (Engineer), Amy Farris Tiven (Violin), Tommy Makem (Performer), Dick Gaughan (Guitar (Acoustic)), Robin Flower (Fiddle), Ron de la Vega (Bass), Scott Petito (Producer), Bruce Cockburn (Performer), Donovan (Vocals), Ronnie Gilbert (Performer), Rosalie Sorrels (Vocals), Leslie Ann Jones (Producer), Jackson Browne (Performer), Robby Coffin (Guitar (Electric)), Edward Manion (Sax (Tenor)), Arty McGlynn (Guitar), Paul Dieter (Mixing), Cathy Fink (Producer), Sweet Honey in the Rock (Performer), Odetta (Performer), Gary Ray (Drums), Doug Lancio (Vocals), Lucy Kaplansky (Vocals), Marcy Marxer (Hi String Guitar), Marcy Marxer (Engineer), Scott McAllister (Mixing), Richard Thompson (Vocals), Linda McRae (Accordion), Ani DiFranco (Vocals), Liam Bradley (Percussion), Martin Hayes (Fiddle), Rod McVey (Arranger), Marcy Marxer (Producer), Charlie Pilzer (Bass), Reggie Harris (Vocals), Tom Paxton (Vocals), James Hooker (Piano), Kim & Reggie Harris (Vocals), Frank Lee (Vocals), Sue Evans (Percussion), Marvin Denton Dykhuis (Guitar), Julie Cantor (Vocals), Jessica Simpson (Producer), Gerry Volkersz (Assistant Engineer), Soozie Tyrell (Violin), Indigo Girls (Performer), Bruce Cockburn (Producer), Tim Robbins (Performer), James Hooker (Vocals), Pete Seeger (Performer), Rod McVey (Accordion), Tony Trischka (?), Tao Rodriguez-Seeger (Guitar), Richie Havens (Vocals), Anthony Jackson (Bass), Sebastian Haimerl (Mixing Assistant), Roger McGuinn (Guitar (Acoustic)), Casey Neill (Performer), David Seitz (Engineer), Judy Collins (Performer), Charlie Giordano (Piano), Anne Hills (Vocals), Ronnie Gilbert (Vocals), Bruce Springsteen (Producer), Colum Sands (Mixing), Tish Hinojosa (Vocals), Roger McGuinn (Performer), Si Kahn (Performer), Aisha Kahlil (Vocals), Ani DiFranco (Organ (Hammond)), Guy Davis (Performer), Tim Eriksen (Producer), Scott Petito (Engineer), John Stewart (Banjo), Pat McInerney (Drums), Pete Seeger (Illustrations), Greg Artzner (Vocals), Larry Packer (Viola), Kevin O'Shea (Vocals), Paul Pearcy (Drums), Eric Weissberg (Banjo), Tommy Makem (Autoharp), Greg Brown (Vocals), Toby Scott (Mixing), Robby Coffin (Guitar (Acoustic)), Reggie Harris (Guitar), Greg Brown (Guitar), Troy Halderson (Engineer), Colum Sands (Engineer), Lisa Ekström (Whistle (Human)), Pat McInerney (Vocals), Michael Manring (Bass), Alan Silverman (Producer), Bruce Cockburn (Guitar), Colin Linden (Producer), Sam Bardfeld (Violin), Dick Gaughan (Performer), Franklin Bruno (Guitar), Anne Hills (Performer), John Trudell (Lyricist), Marcy Marxer (Guitar), John Gorka (Vocals), Dick Gaughan (Producer), Jack Henry Robbins (Vocals), Casey Neill (Vocals), Cordelia's Dad (Performer), Amy Ray (Guitar), Laura Risk (Producer), Bob Doidge (Engineer), Jeffrey Young (Organ), Jeremy Chatzky (Bass (Upright)), Roger McGuinn (Bass), David Seitz (Producer), Dick Gaughan (Vocals), Pete Lewis (Engineer), Peter, Paul and Mary (Performer), Tom Paxton (Guitar), Rory Makem (Banjo), Dave Bass (Fiddle), Rory Makem (Vocals), Emily Saliers (Guitar), Billy Bragg (Vocals), Glenn Kawamoto (Bass), Libby McLaren (Performer), Ben Riley (Drums), Dave Batti (Bass), Ros Ni Dhubhain (Choir, Chorus), Garret O'Hare (Choir, Chorus), Marvin Denton Dykhuis (?), Jay Berliner (Guitar (Acoustic))
