“I found that hope”: the songwriter Bruce Springsteen called America’s “grandfather”
Bruce Springsteen has credited folk singer Woody Guthrie with helping him find hope and a vision of America rooted in ordinary people’s struggles and human rights. The article connects Guthrie’s influence to Springsteen’s long tradition of political songwriting and his recent protest song, “Streets of Minneapolis”.
Springsteen made the “grandfather of my country” remark in 2021 while accepting the Woody Guthrie Prize, an annual award recognising work that reflects Guthrie’s legacy. He said he encountered Guthrie’s music at 28, when he felt “strangely hopeless”, and later performed “This Land Is Your Land” on tour during the 1980s. The article also recalls “Lost in the Flood”, from Springsteen’s 1973 debut album, as an early example of his interest in social issues.
- Springsteen called Woody Guthrie the “grandfather” of his country.
- Guthrie’s music helped Springsteen find hope at 28.
- Springsteen has carried Guthrie’s message into his own songs.
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Woody Guthrie was an American folk singer whose songs often focused on working people, hardship and social justice. His best-known song, “This Land Is Your Land”, offered a vision of America shaped by its people and shared experiences.
Bruce Springsteen is an American singer-songwriter known for writing about ordinary lives and social issues. He has said Guthrie’s music gave him hope and influenced how he understood the country.
The Woody Guthrie Prize recognises artists whose work reflects Guthrie’s legacy. Springsteen received it in 2021, linking Guthrie’s influence to a career that includes political songs as well as stories about everyday life.