Happy 100th Birthday Woody Guthrie

Tomorrow is the centenary of folk legend Woody Guthrie. Bornin Oklahoma on 14th July 1912, Woody discovered music at a young age. He formedhis first band in Texas before hitting the road to California to find work. Thisjourney provided the inspiration for his Dust Bowl Ballads, and led to a lifelong identification with thedisplaced.

'A folk song is what's wrong and how to fix it, or it couldbe, who's hungry and where their mouth is, or, who's broke and where the moneyis, or, who's carrying a gun and where the peace is.' - Woody Guthrie

His songs and social commentary found him fame, first on theradio and then, in New York, where he recorded throughout the 1940s. In hislifetime, Guthrie travelled across the US, served in World War II, wrote 3novels (and a wealth of unpublished material) and fathered 8 children,including musician Arlo Guthrie.

Woody Guthrie helped establish folk music as a genre, layingthe foundations for future generations. Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, The GreenbriarBoys and Phil Ochs visited Woody in the hospital before his death on October 3,1967, and continue his legacy today.