A former banjo student of Pete Seeger, Ron Radosh, wrote in a New York Sun column a couple months ago that Seeger had never criticized the regime of Joe Stalin, even though Seeger claims he left the Communist Party around 1950.
Radoshs' accusation evidently hit home with Seeger, as he wrote a song that he sent to Radosh, along with a letter last week. Radosh sent a copy of the song to the AP on Friday.
While Seeger had apologized years ago for not speaking out against Stalin and communism, it's amazing that it's taken till he was 88 years old to put one out.
In the song called "The Big Joe Blues," Seeger says "I'm singing about old Joe, cruel Joe. He ruled with an iron hand. He put an end to the dreams of so many in every land,"
Seeger said he is trying to get the song published in the folk magazine "Sing Out."
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