Pete Seeger: The Power of Song

One of the legends of American music, Pete Seeger was the architect of the folk revival, penning such classics as "Where Have All the Flowers Gone," "Turn, Turn, Turn" and "If I Had A Hammer." An outspoken advocate of peace, unionism, civil rights and ecology, he was targeted by the Communist witch hunt of the 1950s and was picketed, protested, blacklisted, and, despite his enormous popularity, banned from television for more than 17 years. With a combination of never-before-seen archival footage, Seeger's own personal films, and interviews with musicians like Joan Baez, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen, Natalie Maines, and Peter, Paul and Mary, this new documentary paints an intimate portrait of an icon who has profoundly influenced the fabric of American music.

“In two years [Seeger will] be 90. He is an institution and a monument, but also a living presence whose best songs grow less quaint and more urgent every day, and who can drive some listeners crazy even as he moves others to tears. If you watch the video (included in this film) of him singing “Waist Deep in the Big Muddy” on CBS in 1968, you’ll know just what I mean.” (A.O. Scott, New York Times)