Woody Guthrie: America's Balladeer

In Springfield this Tuesday, Mark Greenberg will present the next program of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), "Woody Guthrie: America's Balladeer."

Woody Guthrie sings
"So Long It's Been Good To Know You"

On Tuesday March 26, at 2:00 pm at the Nolin Murray Center next to St. Mary's Catholic Church on Pleasant Street in Springfield, Vermont, Mark Greenberg, will present the next program of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), "Woody Guthrie: America's Balladeer."

In his songs, Woody Guthrie chronicled the plight and hopes of Dustbowl refugees, migrant workers, and others hit hard by the Great Depression and the terrible dust storms of the 1930s. Many of his songs ("This Land is Your Land"; "So Long It's Been Good to Know You") have become American classics. Greenberg will explain how Guthrie influenced a whole new generation of songwriters, including Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen.

Greenberg will show slides of Guthrie's art and photographs documenting his life and times. He will share readings from Guthrie's prose writings and recorded and live examples of his music. Greenberg is an educator, writer, musician and producer. He teaches American music history at the University of Vermont and operates Upstreet Productions, specializing in radio, video and audio projects involving traditional folk music and oral history. He has produced documentaries for National Public Radio.

The following OLLI program will be April 9 and will be Precious Pollinators: Bumblebees and Butterflies of Vermont. This will be co-sponsored by the Springfield Garden Club. Future programs this semester will be - Roman Influence on English Literature, Thomas Jefferson's Vermont Vacation and Beethoven's Masterpieces. Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, affiliated with the University of Vermont, is a local membership program geared towards seniors 50 years and older who want to engage in meaningful learning, "just for the fun of it!"

Membership is $40 for the semester. Non-members are encouraged and welcome to attend individual lectures for a single program fee of $8.

Thanks go out to our local benefactor, Barbara Sanderson.

The complete Springfield and state-wide list is available on the internet at www.learn.uvm.edu/osher