Published in 2017
408 pages
Jean R. Freedman has a BA in theatre from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a PhD in folklore and ethnomusicology from Indiana University. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Journal of American Folklore, and other publications. Her first book, Whistling in the Dark: Memory and Culture in Wartime London, is a study of the culture of London during World War II. Her second book, Peggy Seeger: A Life of Music, Love, and Politics, is the first full-length biography of folk music legend Peggy Seeger.
An experienced oral historian, Jean conducts oral history interviews for individuals and organizations, and she teaches oral history workshops for people interested in creating their own projects. A graduate of the the Theatre Lab’s Life Stories Institute, Jean conducts theatre workshops that focus on performing personal stories. She is a professorial lecturer at the George Washington University and lives in the Washington, DC area with her family.
What is this book about?
Born into folk music’s first family, Peggy Seeger has blazed her own trail artistically and personally. Jean Freedman draws on a wealth of research and conversations with Seeger to tell the life story of one of music’s most charismatic performers and tireless advocates. Here is the story of Seeger’s multifaceted career, from her youth to her pivotal role in the American and British folk revivals, from her instrumental virtuosity to her tireless work on behalf of environmental and feminist causes, from wry reflections on the U.K. folk scene to decades as a songwriter. Freedman also delves into Seeger’s fruitful partnership with Ewan MacColl and a multitude of contributions which include creating the renowned Festivals of Fools, founding Blackthorne Records, masterminding the legendary Radio Ballads documentaries, and mentoring performers in the often-fraught atmosphere of The Critics Group. Bracingly candid and as passionate as its subject, Peggy Seeger is the first book-length biography of a life set to music.
