59 Years Ago Today, the World Lost the Towering Folk Figure Who Helped Shape Country and Rock
Woody Guthrie died on 3 October 1967, aged 55, from complications of Huntington’s disease. Known for songs including “This Land Is Your Land”, he used folk music to challenge racism and fascism and to support people facing poverty and displacement, helping shape the folk revival and influence country and rock.
Born in Oklahoma in 1912, Guthrie wrote more than 3,000 songs. After Dust Bowl storms drove him west, he sang on Los Angeles radio for migrant workers and criticised those in power; in 1940 he recorded *Dust Bowl Ballads*. He later formed the Almanac Singers with other folk musicians, who promoted causes including union organising and anti-fascism.
- Woody Guthrie died aged 55 in 1967.
- He wrote more than 3,000 songs.
- His music championed workers and the disenfranchised.
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Woody Guthrie was an American folk singer and songwriter, born in Oklahoma in 1912. Dust Bowl storms and economic hardship drove many families west in the 1930s, including Guthrie, who sang on Los Angeles radio for migrant workers and wrote about poverty and displacement.
Guthrie wrote thousands of songs, including “This Land Is Your Land”. His music also addressed racism and fascism, and he joined the Almanac Singers, a group that supported causes such as trade union organising. His work helped shape the folk revival and influenced later country and rock musicians.