Woody Guthrie, born Woodrow Wilson Guthrie on July 14, 1912, in Okemah, Oklahoma, is remembered as one of the most influential figures in American folk music. Best known for writing “This Land Is Your Land,” Guthrie channeled the struggles of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl into songs that gave voice to the working class. His music inspired generations, including Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger, and his legacy continues to resonate through folk, protest, and popular music.
Guthrie earned the nickname “Dust Bowl Troubadour” after migrating to California during the 1930s, where he witnessed the hardships of migrant workers. That experience fueled his 1940 album Dust Bowl Ballads. By the time he moved to New York City in 1940, he had already begun collaborating with folk figures like Alan Lomax, Lead Belly, and Pete Seeger, helping to establish folk music as a vehicle for social change.
Despite his early death at age 55, Guthrie wrote more than 1,000 songs. His work ranges from political protest anthems to children’s classics. The Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, now holds his original handwritten lyrics for “This Land Is Your Land,” preserving a critical piece of American cultural history.
Who Was Woody Guthrie? Life, Family, and Legacy
Woodrow Wilson Guthrie
July 14, 1912, Okemah, Oklahoma
October 3, 1967, New York City (Huntington’s disease)
“This Land Is Your Land”
Key Insights
- Woody Guthrie wrote over 1,000 songs, many addressing social justice and the Great Depression.
- His most famous song, “This Land Is Your Land,” was written in 1940 as a response to Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America.”
- Guthrie suffered from Huntington’s disease, a genetic disorder that also affected his mother and caused his death.
- He mentored a young Bob Dylan in the early 1960s, profoundly shaping the folk revival.
- Guthrie collaborated closely with Pete Seeger, co-founding the Almanac Singers in 1941.
- His guitar famously bore the slogan “This Machine Kills Fascists,” painted in the early 1940s.
- He was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in 1997.
Key Facts About Woody Guthrie
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cause of death | Complications from Huntington’s disease (confirmed) |
| Number of children | Eight (including adopted; exact count varies by source) |
| Primary instrument | Acoustic guitar (often a Martin or Gibson) |
| Major influences | Lead Belly, Jimmie Rodgers, folk traditions |
| Legacy | Inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1988), GRAMMY Hall of Fame |
What was Woody Guthrie’s cause of death?
Guthrie died on October 3, 1967, in New York City from complications of Huntington’s disease (also called Huntington’s Chorea), a rare, hereditary, degenerative neurological disease. The disease gradually robbed him of his health, talents, and abilities, causing increasingly erratic behavior beginning in the late 1940s. It was later confirmed to be the same disease that caused his mother’s institutionalization and death. Two of his daughters from his first marriage, Gwen and Sue, also succumbed to Huntington’s disease.
How many children did Woody Guthrie have?
Guthrie married three times and had eight children. His first marriage produced daughters Gwen and Sue (who both died from Huntington’s). Later children included Arlo (a musician), Nora, and Cathy, though specific names of all eight are not fully detailed in available sources.
What is Woody Guthrie’s net worth?
The available records do not state Woody Guthrie’s net worth. While he was a cultural icon and successful songwriter, his career was tragically cut short by illness. No public estate records exist, and estimates vary widely, often suggesting he died with modest means.
What Are Woody Guthrie’s Most Famous Songs and Music?
What are Woody Guthrie’s most famous songs?
Guthrie wrote between 1,000 and 3,000 songs, though relatively few were recorded. His most famous works include “This Land Is Your Land,” “Roll on Columbia,” “Grand Coulee Dam,” “Union Maid,” and “So Long (It’s Been Good to Know Yuh).” He also produced children’s songs for albums like Songs to Grow On For Mother and Child and Work Songs To Grow On.
What is the story behind ‘This Land Is Your Land’?
Written in 1940 in New York, “This Land Is Your Land” began as a protest against Kate Smith’s overplaying of Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America” and what Guthrie saw as idealized complacency. He adapted the melody from the gospel song “Oh My Loving Brother.” The original verses included left-leaning criticism, making the song both an unofficial national anthem and a political statement.
Guthrie’s original handwritten lyrics for “This Land Is Your Land” are held at the Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The song has been performed by countless artists, but its lesser-known protest verses are often omitted from popular recordings.
What type of guitar did Woody Guthrie play?
Guthrie played various acoustic guitars, including Martin and Gibson models. He is not known to have had a single signature brand. He famously painted the phrase “this machine kills fascists” on his guitar in the early 1940s to express his opposition to fascism, and he continued writing that slogan on his instruments after World War II.
The slogan “This Machine Kills Fascists” became a symbol of Guthrie’s political activism. It appeared on his guitars throughout his career and has been adopted by later artists as a declaration of protest music’s purpose.
How Did Woody Guthrie Influence Other Musicians Like Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger?
How did Woody Guthrie meet and influence Bob Dylan?
Guthrie served as a mentor to Bob Dylan in the early 1960s. Dylan acknowledged his debt to Guthrie and visited him in the hospital while Guthrie was being treated for Huntington’s disease. Guthrie acted as a figurehead for the folk revival, and Dylan’s early work directly echoes Guthrie’s storytelling and social commentary.
What was the relationship between Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger?
Guthrie collaborated frequently with Pete Seeger in New York. In 1941 they co-founded the Almanac Singers, a group that blended folk music with leftist politics. Seeger was part of the progressive artist circle that embraced Guthrie’s career, and the two remained close friends.
While Guthrie’s influence on Dylan and Seeger is well documented, the exact details of some early meetings remain unclear. No definitive record exists of their first encounter, and some accounts rely on oral histories that may contain inaccuracies.
What is the timeline of Woody Guthrie’s life?
- 1912 – Born in Okemah, Oklahoma.
- 1929–1930s – Traveled during the Dust Bowl, wrote protest songs.
- 1940 – Moved to New York, wrote “This Land Is Your Land.”
- 1941 – Joined the Almanac Singers with Pete Seeger.
- 1940s–1950s – Continued writing and recording; health declined.
- 1961 – Hospitalized for Huntington’s disease; visited by Bob Dylan.
- 1967 – Died at age 55 in Creedmoor Psychiatric Center.
What is certain and uncertain in Woody Guthrie’s story?
| Claim | Certainty | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Cause of death was Huntington’s disease | Confirmed | Medical records, biographies |
| Number of biological children | Uncertain | Some sources list 4 biological and 4 adopted; records incomplete |
| Net worth at death | Uncertain | No public estate records; estimates vary widely (often cited as modest) |
| Guitar brand preference | Uncertain | Photos show different guitars; no definitive documented preference |
What is the broader context of Woody Guthrie’s work?
Woody Guthrie emerged during the Great Depression as a voice for the working class, blending folk tunes with radical politics. His song “This Land Is Your Land” became an unofficial national anthem, though its original verses contained left-leaning criticism. Guthrie’s influence on the 1960s folk revival is immense; Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger both directly credited him as a mentor and inspiration. Despite his early death, Guthrie’s catalog of over 1,000 songs continues to be performed and studied, cementing his place as a foundational figure in American folk music.
What do external sources say about Woody Guthrie?
“This land is your land, this land is my land”
— “This Land Is Your Land”, Woody Guthrie, 1940
“Woody Guthrie was the most important American folk music artist of the first half of the 20th century”
— Spotify bio (open.spotify.com)
“Woodrow Wilson ‘Woody’ Guthrie (1912–67) was one of the most important folk composers in American history.”
— Smithsonian Folkways (folkways.si.edu)
Additional authoritative sources include the Wikipedia article on Woody Guthrie, the Official Woody Guthrie Website, Britannica’s biography, Smithsonian Folkways’ artist page, and the Huntington’s Disease Society of America.
What is Woody Guthrie’s enduring legacy?
Woody Guthrie’s archives are maintained by the Woody Guthrie Foundation. Annual events like the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival celebrate his work, and new recordings and tributes are frequently released. His influence extends beyond folk music into rock, hip-hop, and storytelling. Artists ranging from Joni Mitchell to Bob Dylan have carried his torch. Guthrie’s life and death also brought attention to Huntington’s disease, and his story remains a powerful reminder of music’s ability to confront injustice.
Frequently Asked Questions About Woody Guthrie
What was Woody Guthrie’s cause of death?
Woody Guthrie died from complications of Huntington’s disease.
How many children did Woody Guthrie have?
Woody Guthrie had eight children, including four biological and four adopted; exact numbers vary.
What is Woody Guthrie’s net worth?
Woody Guthrie’s net worth is not publicly documented; estimates suggest he died with modest means.
What are Woody Guthrie’s most famous songs?
His most famous song is “This Land Is Your Land”, along with “Pastures of Plenty”, “Do Re Mi”, and “Deportees”.
How did Woody Guthrie influence Bob Dylan?
Bob Dylan visited Guthrie in the hospital, was inspired by his songs and style, and credited him as a major influence.
What was Woody Guthrie’s relationship with Pete Seeger?
Guthrie and Seeger were close friends and collaborators, co-founding the Almanac Singers in 1941.
What type of guitar did Woody Guthrie play?
Woody Guthrie played various acoustic guitars, including Martin and Gibson models; he did not have a single signature brand.
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