Posted by Bob Buckingham on Tuesday, August 11, 2009
This past weekend we lost Mike Seeger. This is no news to anyone who has had their head above sand. But the real story is that here was a man who loved string band music, old ballads, bluegrass, blues and all the gray shades between all of these forms. If it smelled of antiquity, Mike it embraced it. He even added his skills to new projects that often took great liberties with the old forms but made them accessible to those mainstreamers who only recently found the more commercial forms of our music. His part was that thread of authenticity that gave more depth to a project. That is why he was involved.
Mike was his own man, and no one will take his place. He brought us a new awareness of such artists as Dock Boggs and many more while giving them a new lease on life with a second chance to play their music. What great gifts these are for all of us! He recorded everybody and his brother and recorded with lots of the younger players on his anthology CD's.
More over, he instilled in a whole generation the need and desire to respect the old and keep it alive. While some want to rocket into the future, there is much to be learned from the past. Hopefully the great body of work Mike Seeger leaves behind will be accessible to generations to come.
1 comment on “America loses a real renaissance man and other thoughts about music”
mgoers Says:
Sunday, August 16, 2009 @4:32:09 AM
Nicely said, Bob. I still find myself saddened by his loss. He was one of my inspirations and musical heroes. He inspired a lot of people. Hopefully, his contributions to our musical heritage will continue to live on.
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