Died On This Date (August 7, 2009) Mike Seeger / Folk Legend
themusicsover Mike Seeger
August 15, 1933 – August 7, 2009
Mike Seeger was a traditional folk singer and musician who was a direct influence on Bob Dylan. It was his passion for traditional folk music that struck a chord with the younger generations who explored the genre and incorporated it into their own music. Born into a musical family – Pete Seeger was his half-brother – Seeger taught himself to play the guitar at the age of 18. He soon began making and collecting field recordings of old-timey musicians. In 1958, Seeger co-founded an old-time string band called the New Lost City Ramblers who were instrumental in the folk revival of the 1960s. Throughout his career, Seeger was nominated for six Grammys. In July of 2009, Mike Seeger went into hospice care after a long battle with cancer. He succumbed to the disease on August 7, 2009 at the age of 75.
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