Gleaning Facebook: That Doesn't Mean He's Gone

Pete Seeger has been a favorite of mine since the 1960's. His "We Shall Overcome" album was in that first group of 12 albums I acquired for a pittance as a brand-spanking new member of the Columbia Record club an the early sixties. As a teen I was very upset to learn that Pete had been a accused of being a Communist. Me being me, I wrote him a letter to ask about it. Lo and behold I got a response from him. Sheila and I have especially loved the albums on which he and Arlo performed jointly. And we made suer we were right in front of the stage on the National Mall well before their concert started

Pete, who was born in 1919 just a few days before my Daddy, died yesterday.

Today Arlo posted an "obituary" for Pete on his Facebook:

Pete Seeger:

I usually do a little meditation and prayer every night before I go to sleep - Just part of the routine. Last night, I decided to go visit Pete Seeger for a while, just to spend a little time together, it was around 9 PM. So I was sitting in my home in Florida, having a lovely chat with Pete, who was in a hospital in New York City. That's the great thing about thoughts and prayers- You can go or be anywhere.

I simply wanted him to know that I loved him dearly, like a father in some ways, a mentor in others and just as a dear friend a lot of the time. I'd grown up that way - loving the Seegers - Pete & Toshi and all their family.

I let him know I was having trouble writing his obituary (as I'd been asked) but it seemed just so silly and I couldn't think of anything that didn't sound trite or plain stupid. "They'll say something appropriate in the news," we agreed. We laughed, we talked, and I took my leave about 9:30 last night.

"Arlo" he said, sounding just like the man I've known all of my life, "I guess I'll see ya later." I've always loved the rising and falling inflections in his voice. "Pete," I said. "I guess we will."

I turned off the light and closed my eyes and fell asleep until very early this morning, about 3 AM when the texts and phone calls started coming in from friends telling me Pete had passed away.

"Well, of course he passed away!" I'm telling everyone this morning. "But that doesn't mean he's gone."

-Arlo Guthrie