Woody's Road: Woody Guthrie's Letters Home, Drawings, Photos, and Other Unburied Treasures

by Mary Jo Guthrie Edgmon

Overview

The father of American folk music, Woody Guthrie influenced generations of Americans with his witty journalism and landmark songs. Woody's Road brings together letters to family, photos, drawings, and lyrics to reveal Guthrie's budding personality as he grew from a young boy into a man of remarkable strength and character, becoming America's most publicly political songwriter and the legendary musician who influenced Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Ani DiFranco and so many others. The book shows how his commitment to social equality never wavered, as shown famously by the slogan 'this machine kills fascists' emblazoned on his guitar. Jo Guthrie and Guy Lodgson uncover the intensely intelligent and articulate man behind the folksy wit.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781612052199
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	05/30/2012
Series:	Nine Lives Musical Series
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Mary Jo Guthrie Edgmon

Table of Contents

1. He’s Just Woody 2. Growin’ Up in Okemah 3. Strugglin’ with Dust in Pampa, Texas 4. The California Years 5. Bound for Glory 6. Woody’s Patriotism 7. The New York Years 8. Father and Son 9. Living with Huntington’s 10. Marjorie, Nora, Arlo, and the Guthrie Legacy

Editorial Reviews

"I and so many of my musician friends are indebted to Woody for his lifelong commitment to social change and to the common man. These letters that Mary Jo has saved provide a new and open window to Woody’s early years and to the love he had for his family. It’s a rare and fascinating collection!"
—Graham Nash, Artist

"Many of the documents included will appeal to fans and researchers. The letters Guthrie wrote to his family after the death of his child and letters about his success in the music business bring insight into Guthrie's personality and relationships... recommended for readers interested in the iconic musician."
—Library Journal

Related Woody Guthrie News

Bound for Local Glory at Last: Woody Guthrie Gets a Belated Honor in Oklahoma

Woody Guthrie Centennial

From the Publisher

This scrapbook and biography of Woody Guthrie's family life commemorates what would have been Guthrie's 100th birthday. Here Edgmon, Guthrie's younger sister, contributes his letters to her and their father, family photos, personal vignettes, and drawings. Logsdon (The Whorehouse Bells Were Ringing and Other Songs Cowboys Sing) contributes a brief biography. In this family history, Edgmon and Logsdon frequently repeat rather than complement each other. However, many of the documents included will appeal to fans and researchers. The letters Guthrie wrote to his family after the death of his child and letters about his success in the music business bring insight into Guthrie's personality and relationships. VERDICT This book is limited in scope and recommended (with some reservations) for readers interested in the iconic musician. Readers seeking an introductory biography of Guthrie will be better served by Elizabeth Partridge's This Land Was Made for You and Me: The Life and Songs of Woody Guthrie.—Emily Hamstra, Univ. of Michigan Libs., Ann Arbor

Library Journal