
Episode 155 - Peggy Seeger
On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Peggy Seeger, one of the most influential figures in folk music on both sides of the Atlantic, a singer, songwriter, musician, feminist and activist whose extraordinary life has been intertwined with some of the biggest names in folk music. Born into a remarkable musical family, Peggy grew up surrounded by music. Her mother was the pioneering composer Ruth Crawford Seeger, her brother was Pete Seeger, and the family home was visited by legendary figures including Alan Lomax, Lead Belly and Woody Guthrie. Peggy talks about her childhood, learning music from her mother, Pete’s influence and her journey to Britain in 1956, where she met Ewan MacColl. She tells the brilliant story of their first meeting, when she sang The House Carpenter and discusses their relationship, musical partnership and enormous influence on the British folk revival. We talk about folk music, singing songs from your own culture, feminism and the story behind Gonna Be an Engineer, which became an anthem of the women’s movement. Peggy also reflects on traditional ballads, activism, songwriting and the importance of truth and character in performance. She shares memories of The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, the song Ewan wrote for her, as well as the hilarious story of forgetting a line while performing it on The Late Late Show after 70 years of singing the song. We also discuss her final album, her farewell tour and what she hopes to pass on to the next generation of musicians. Insightful, funny and completely unforgettable, this is a conversation with one of folk music’s great characters. Let Christy Take It are proud to bring you Peggy Seeger. If you enjoy our show please Like and Subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts. Thanks to our sponsor Irish Woodcraft, please check them out at https://irishwoodcraft.ie


















