Come On, Sing It!: The Story of Pete Seeger

A tall, skinny man in blue jeans stands on a stage, one hand on his banjo, the other, raised to the crowd of 15,000 people who have come to celebrate his 90th birthday. "Come on, sing it!" he shouts, and everyone sings. How did a humble, banjo-playing Harvard University dropout become one of the most influential figures of the twentieth century? This is the story of Pete Seeger - singer, songwriter, social activist, environmentalist - who filled his toolbox with songs and set out to repair whatever in the world was broken. His story intertwines with a century of American history, and readers will be surprised to discover how many familiar songs, people, and projects somehow connect back to this one individual. What was it like for a city boy like Pete to hop freight trains with Woody Guthrie, the free-spirited composer of "This Land is Your Land?" "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," a song beloved by people all over the world, might have been lost to history had it not been for Pete Seeger. The Hudson River is cleaner than it used to be. What did Pete do to help that happen? Through learning of his life of activism, readers will become links in the chain, inspired to reflect on their own power to make change.

About the Author :
Like Pete Seeger, MERYL DANZIGER was raised in a musical household where she was free to explore, experiment and figure things out on her own. A career as a violinist and then as a school music teacher took her all over the globe. She began creating original songs, stories and plays designed to pass on legacies of influential musicians, and it was one of these plays, written in honor of Pete Seeger's 90th birthday, which led to collaborating with Pete on the creation of this book. Meryl lives in NYC and is the Founder and Director of Music House, which offers students, parents and teachers a unique alternative to traditional private music lessons. She is the author of Music House- Liberating the Music Lesson.

Review :
"Meryl Danziger's book Sing It! is a delightful as well as compelling portrait of Pete Seeger." —David Amram

"Teaching young students about the work and music of Pete Seeger is as important as teaching them about Abraham Lincoln. Thanks to Meryl Danziger for writing this book." —Roger McGuinn, lead singer and guitarist of the Byrds

"It’s a lovely read bringing together all of Pete’s commitments, his curiosities, and respect for traditions. I especially will always remember the line, 'Getting paid to sing? It seemed like stealing.' Sort of lets everyone in on the secret, right?" —Bob Flick, The Brothers Four