Tribute concerts are often a mixed bag, especially if the idea is to bring a group of stars together to pay homage to an influential musical figure. The recent tribute to the wonderful singer, Tony Bennett, Tony Bennett Celebrates 90 (Columbia, 2016) is a sad case in point. There is no shortage of stars on that particular album, but the aesthetic understanding of Bennett's music is so limited that it reduces rather than expands the scope of his musical legacy. A good tribute does the opposite of this. It shows the many aspects of an artist and paints a nuanced portrait that goes beyond the easy clichés. It shows the connection between the artist's own story and the musical narrative that he or she has helped to build.
The reason why the tribute concerts to the famous folksinger and activist, Woody Guthrie, recorded in 1968 and 1970, were so successful was that the musicians involved had a genuine connection to Guthrie's musical legacy. They carried on the torch in different ways. Arlo Guthrie, Woody's son, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, Country Joe McDonald, Odetta, Jack Eliot, Richie Havens, Judy Collins, Tom Paxton and the brightest star of them all, Bob Dylan, were all folksingers in their own way. Like Guthrie, they built their songs on the rich tradition of American folk music and Guthrie showed them how the manifold sounds of the American soil could be transformed into a personal voice. Songs like "Oklahoma Hills," "Vigilante Man" and "1913 Massacre" still resonate today with strong storytelling and "Pastures of Plenty" and "This Land Is Your Land" have become national anthems. Listeners searching for a song that describes the harsh condition of migrants need not look any further than "Plane Wreck at Los Gatos (Deportee)," a song that feels like it was written for today.
Guthrie was a political singer, but he was not a moralist. He did not stand high on a hill preaching to others from a safe position, but he spoke clearly with humanity. His was a voice that had known hardship, but refused to give up. Instead, there was optimistic defiance in his songs. A lengthy quote from him sums it up: