On his latest studio album, 'Tomorrow's Children' out July 27 on Appleseed Recordings, the indomitable Pete Seeger continues his life's work of communication and inspiration to action. The new album is the first new studio recordings by the iconic folksinger and political activist since his 2008 Grammy-winning album 'At 89,' and it's like a joyful town picnic. It features 91-year-old Pete as a (global) village elder, assembling his neighbors to appreciate their past and present, to celebrate their triumphs against environmental threats, to swap old and new stories, to appreciate the natural glories surrounding them and to make sure that the following generations "carry it on."
When Beacon, NY, fourth-grade teacher Tery Udell began teaching her students about the Hudson River, class sessions became songfests, and where there are songs, there's Pete Seeger. He became a regular visitor to the kids' classroom in 2007. The classroom gatherings and performances inevitably led to a series of recordings by Pete, Clearwater educator and singer Dan Einbender, musician and CD co-producer (with Dan) David Bernz, the children (known as "The Rivertown Kids"), as well as adult musicians, high schoolers and even 14 grammar school percussion students. The 19 newly recorded songs on 'Tomorrow's Children,' testify to Seeger's long-held credo, "Think globally, act locally."
When Beacon, NY, fourth-grade teacher Tery Udell began teaching her students about the Hudson River, class sessions became songfests, and where there are songs, there's Pete Seeger. He became a regular visitor to the kids' classroom in 2007. The classroom gatherings and performances inevitably led to a series of recordings by Pete, Clearwater educator and singer Dan Einbender, musician and CD co-producer (with Dan) David Bernz, the children (known as "The Rivertown Kids"), as well as adult musicians, high schoolers and even 14 grammar school percussion students. The 19 newly recorded songs on 'Tomorrow's Children,' testify to Seeger's long-held credo, "Think globally, act locally."
Perhaps most importantly, 'Tomorrow's Children' contains songs of empowerment and cooperation adapted or written by the kids themselves such as "We Sing Out" ("...so our voices can be heard," with a melody borrowed from Tom Paxton), an updated version of the old gospel and union song, "We Shall Not Be Moved," and a set of new verses to Seeger's Biblically-inspired standard, "Turn, Turn, Turn," added for the children by Pete's wife of more than 60 years, Toshi.
Watch Pete, Dar Williams, David Bernz and "The Rivertown Kids" perform album standout "Solartopia"
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