Pete Seeger performs at the 2007 Clearwater Festival Closing Ceremony. Photo by Augusto Menezes
Great Hudson River Revival Welcomes Diverse Line-up of Artists from around the Globe
BEACON, NY – Pete Seeger’s vision and desire to clean up the Hudson River in the 1960s prompted a series of riverside concerts throughout the Hudson Valley to help raise the funds to “build a boat to save the river.” The banjo case was laid open to accept contributions, and this was the start of Hudson River Sloop Clearwater that also laid the foundations for the Great Hudson River Revival. This year’s Great Hudson River Revival will honor Pete and Toshi Seeger, co-founders of the festival and the organization, and is pleased to welcome many Clearwater friends to perform tributes over the festival weekend.
The Great Hudson River Revival, the country’s oldest music and environmental festival, brings together major musical performers and Clearwater’s own brand of green activism for a unique weekend every June. This year, the Clearwater Festival will take place on June 21 and 22, on the banks of the Hudson River at beautiful Croton Point Park, Croton-On-Hudson, NY.
The 2014 Clearwater Festival performer line-up features a diverse group of artists from around the globe including Norah Jones with her new project, Puss N Boots (Norah, Sasha Dobson and Catherine Popper); singer-songwriter, Rufus Wainwright; alternative Country/Swing band, The Mavericks; jam band moe., playing a special acoustic set; legendary guitarist and singer, Richard Thompson; Martin Sexton; Josh Ritter; David Bromberg’s Big Band; Dar Williams; soul diva, Bettye LaVette; indie jazz/soul band, Lake Street Dive; and ukulele virtuoso, Jake Shimabukuro.
Tickets are on sale now at www.ClearwaterFestival.org, or (877) 435-9849.
Clearwater Members receive a 20% discount off of all advance ticket purchases. Kids 12 and under get in for free. Gates open at 9:00AM both days.
“There will be numerous tributes to Pete and Toshi Seeger on and off the stages over the festival weekend,” said Steve Lure, Festival Director. “Highlights include an opening set featuring Clearwater friends Tom Paxton, Tom Chapin, Guy Davis, David Amram, Dar Williams, Holly Near, Josh White, Jr. and others. There will be a banjo tribute lead by Tony Trischka featuring other great banjo players, and sets of both The Weavers’ music as well as the Almanac Singers, both of which Pete Seeger was a member.”
In addition, a special set will feature songs from Seeger’s repertoire that were written in honor of the 3,000 Americans who volunteered to serve in the Spanish Civil War. Pete originally wrote the songs to pay tribute to those who fought against the fascist government led by Francisco Franco, and supported by the fascist governments of Italy and Nazi Germany.
The Dance Stage will present global beats perfect for dancing with a wide array of artists, including Buckwheat Zydeco; Wild Asparagus (Contra-Dance); Congolese Salsa great, Ricardo Lemvo; Cajun band, The Revelers, featuring members of the Red Stick Ramblers and the Pine Leaf Boys; Clearwater friends Jay
Ungar & Molly Mason, performing both a set of Swing Dancing and Waltzes; Cajun artist, Jesse Lége & Bayou Brew; Grammy award winners, The Klezmatics; NYC based Colombian band, The M.A.K.U. Soundsystem, mixing traditional music with psychedelic rock; and The Vanaver Caravan, paying tribute to Pete & Toshi on both days with special dance performances.
Clearwater’s Great Hudson River Revival is a destination for Hudson Valley families, and offers a plethora of family-oriented programming and activities and vendors for kids, including special performances on the Family Stage, juggling and roving artists, Children’s Area, storytelling, river beach combing and net seining, and lots of kid-friendly activities. The Traveling Musical Petting Zoo also returns this year.
Other offerings that make the Revival experience unique and memorable include the Working Waterfront, offering rides on small boats and tall ships including the sloop Clearwater and the Mystic Whaler. The Handcrafters’ Village showcases over 50 crafters and folk artists with quality hand-made items, demonstrations and workshops. The Green Living Expo is the place to learn about sustainable products, services, concepts and technologies for informed lifestyle and business choices. The Discovery and Tideline tents feature Clearwater’s original hands-on environmental education programs and Hudson River research. The Environmental Action Tent highlights Clearwater’s watershed and environmental justice initiatives in our Hudson Valley communities. An expanded Artisanal Food & Farm Market offers Hudson Valley foods and specialty items as well as demonstrations and performances by local musicians.
The Clearwater Festival is wheelchair accessible and most stage programming is staffed with American Sign Language Interpreters.
Clearwater’s Great Hudson River Revival is produced by the nonprofit, member-supported, environmental organization Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc. All proceeds go directly to support Clearwater’s environmental education and advocacy efforts to help preserve and protect the Hudson River, and serve the communities and youth of the Hudson Valley, as well as to help keep the sloop Clearwater afloat.
For more information, contact Steve Lurie, Festival Director, 203-428-6720, Steve@Clearwater.org, or visit www.ClearwaterFestival.org
History of the Great Hudson River Revival, (Clearwater Festival)
Back in the mid-sixties, after centuries of accumulated sewage pollution and industrial dumping of toxic chemicals, the Hudson River, like many of America’s most important estuaries, was declared “dead”. The river’s fragile ecological system was devastated. Not a single fish was found in many areas, and the level of commercial fishing had dropped so dramatically as to be regarded as nonexistent. Recognizing this incredible social and environmental tragedy, in 1966, Pete Seeger decided “to build a boat to save the river” by holding small, fundraising river concerts throughout the Hudson River Valley where he opened his banjo case to collect contributions to build the sloop Clearwater, a tall ship that would become recognized as America’s Environmental Flagship and a symbol of environmental advocacy. Since the 1960s, the Clearwater Festival has grown into the country’s largest annual environmental celebration, its music, dance and storytelling, education and activism attracting thousands of people of all ages to the shores of the Hudson River.
# # #
