This Land is Your Land


Woody Guthrie - This Land is Your Land

Related Lessons

lesson:
Folk Music, Rock and Roll Attitude

Grades: High, Middle
Subjects: ELA, General Music

How did Bob Dylan’s early experiences with Folk and Rock and Roll music influence his songwriting?

Related People

people:
Woody Guthrie

(1912 – 1967) Before Bruce Springsteen, before Bob Dylan, there was Woody Guthrie, the original Folk hero. During the 30s and 40s, Guthrie was instrumental in elevating Folk music to a form of social protest and observation, and in doing so, inspired a generation of songwriters. Guthrie was born into relatively fortunate circumstances; his father had established a successful real estate career in their native Oklahoma. However, by Woody's eighth birthday, the elder Guthrie's business collapsed, and a hardscrabble existence befell the Guthrie family for the remainder of Woody's formative years. He was a voracious reader and had a natural affinity for music, and in...