Last month I saw an excellent folk singer at the Summer Hoot in Ashokan, NY named David Bernz, singing there with his son, Jacob. It turns out that David was a good friend of Pete Seeger, and when he would drop by Pete’s house in Beacon NY, David would bring a tape recorder along at Pete’s request. Pete would proceed to tell stories that he thought would be worthwhile for eventual wider distribution.

This year, David has come out with a book of transcripts of Pete’s recordings called Chopping Wood, Thoughts and Stories of a Legendary American Folksinger. It’s filled with lots of great Pete Seeger stories and background information by David. With David’s permission, I read one of those stories on the air about the famous racist Peekskill riot in 1949 against Paul Robeson who was kicking off a series of benefit concerts for racial equality.

Click on the small triangle or mp3 link above to listen to the words of Pete Seeger as broadcast yesterday on Arts Express radio, heard on WBAI FM NYC and Pacifica affiliates across the nation.