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• Woody Guthrie was one of the most respected and prolific Folk musicians of the 20th century and provided an inspiration to a new generation of politically minded Folk singers and songwriters including Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, as well as his son, folk singer Arlo Guthrie.

• Fast Facts

  1. Name: Woodrow Wilson Guthrie
  2. Born: July 14, 1912
  3. Died: October 3, 1967
  4. Origin: Oklahoma
  5. Children: 8
  6. Best known song: "This Land is Your Land"

• Background

  Guthrie was born in Oklahoma during the height of The Great Depression. With his mother Nora confined to a mental institution and his father working to pay off bad debts, Guthrie was forced to busk in order to make a living. After moving to Los Angeles and gaining notoriety as a radio Folk performer, Guthrie's music began to get more political and left-leaning.

• Influence

  Guthrie's legacy and music influenced a generation of up and coming Folk singers and songwriters, including Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Bruce Springsteen and Steve Earle.

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Arlo Guthrie | Ramblin' Jack Elliot | Bob Dylan | Joan Baez | Robert Johnson | Wilco | Hank Williams | Johnny Cash | Leadbelly | Huntington's Chorea | Billy Bragg | Bert Jansch

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