A southwest Iowa couple is traveling across the state this summer to raise money for historic preservation projects and to highlight the music of legendary songwriter and folk singer Woody Guthrie.
Bob Everhart, of Anita, and his wife Sheila, are making appearances starting this weekend to honor the late Guthrie, who wrote more than a thousand songs during his long career.
“July the 14th would actually have been his 100th birthday but we’re spending the whole summer doing some fundraisers for museums and opera houses in Iowa,” Everhart says. “It looks like we’re still on the A-list to do the final program at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. in October.”
He says the show pays tribute to a true American icon.
Everhart says, “For those people who are fans of Woody Guthrie or people who like older styles of music, this is especially fun for people who would like to remember some songs that they have not heard in a very, very long time.”
Guthrie sang about the Great Depression and the problems faced by many thousands of farmers during the Dust Bowl era. Guthrie’s list of famous songs includes, “This Land Is Your Land”, “Mail Myself To You”, “This Train”, “Bound For Glory”, and “Hobo’s Lullaby”.
Guthrie died in 1967, but Everhart says Guthrie made several stops in Iowa during his career.
Everhart’s first shows are Saturday at the Blairsburg Opera House and Sunday at Fort Dodge High School to benefit the Webster County Museum. Both are at 7 PM.
For a complete schedule of the Iowa concerts, visit: www.ntcma.net
By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City