Hudson Valley Icon Being Honored With Postage Stamp

To say that Pete Seeger is a Hudson Valley icon might actually be an understatement. Pete not only lived in Beacon for years, he also really cared about the Hudson Valley. Pete was a great musician, but he was also an outspoken activist. For peace, the environment, labor and much more. He loved the Hudson Valley and we loved and continue to love Pete Seeger.

The United States Postal Service has announced new stamps for 2022, and I’m happy and proud to see that there will be a new stamp to honor Pete Seeger. The stamp is the 10th in the Music Icon series, and features a tinted black and white photograph of Pete playing his banjo in the 1960s. The photo was taken by his son Dan, which makes it even more special.

I was lucky enough to meet Pete Seeger a few times over the years. He was always gracious and humble. The last time I saw Pete was in the early 2000s when he and his band played at the Clearwater Festival. Pete was at least in his 80s, maybe even 90 and in the middle of his set he picked up an axe or a sledgehammer and started chopping wood. Why? Because he could, I guess. It was pretty cool.

Our country wasn’t always so in love with Pete Seeger. There was a time when he was accused of Communism. It was a time when many Americans were being accused of Communism. Any ties that Pete may or may not have had with the Communist Party were long broken by the time of this accusation. We’ve sure come a long way since then, and Pete Seeger is finally being recognized for the things he should be recognized for. Music, peace and caring about the world around him.