With the outbreak of World War II Guthrie, a devout anti-fascist? -- he often played with the slogan "This Machine Kills Fascists" written on his guitar -- joined the Merchant Marine, where he served with fellow folk singer Cisco Houston. He also wrote the first volume of his autobiography "Bound for Glory". |
With the outbreak of World War II Guthrie, a devout anti-fascist -- he often played with the slogan "This Machine Kills Fascists" written on his guitar -- joined the Merchant Marine, where he served with fellow folk singer Cisco Houston. He also wrote the first volume of his autobiography "Bound for Glory". |
In 1998, the British singer [Billy Bragg]? released a number of previously unrecorded songs on the album "Mermaid Avenue", with the band Wilco?. |
In 1998, the British singer [Billy Bragg]? released a number of previously unrecorded songs on the album "Mermaid Avenue", with the band Wilco?. |
In 1935 he achieved fame in California as a radio performer of both traditional folk music and his protest songs. His interest in the working class was also shown in the specially commisioned songs he wrote at this time for the Bonneville Power Authority in [Washington State]?, the best known of which is Grand Coulee Dam, and his "Ballad of Tom Joad" based on [John Houston]?'s film of [The Grapes of Wrath]?.
With the outbreak of World War II Guthrie, a devout anti-fascist -- he often played with the slogan "This Machine Kills Fascists" written on his guitar -- joined the Merchant Marine, where he served with fellow folk singer Cisco Houston. He also wrote the first volume of his autobiography "Bound for Glory".
By the 1950s his output had fallen off, and he was diagnosed as suffering from the degenerative nervous disorder Huntingtons disease, and hospitalised, where he remained until his death on October 3, 1967, by which time his work had been discovered by a new audience, introduced to him through Bob Dylan who described Guthrie as "my last hero".
His son [Arlo Guthrie]? achieved some success as a singer as well.
In 1998, the British singer [Billy Bragg]? released a number of previously unrecorded songs on the album "Mermaid Avenue", with the band Wilco?.