About this item
"A quirky, unique, and fabulously memorable memoir." - STARRED Kirkus ReviewsPeggy Seeger is one of folk music's most influential artists and songwriters. Born in New York City in 1935, she enjoyed a childhood steeped in music and left-wing politics - they remain her lifeblood. After college, she traveled to Russia and China - against US advice - before arriving in London, where she met the man with whom she would raise three children and share the next thirty-three years: Ewan MacColl. Together, they helped lay the foundations of the British folk revival, through the influential Critics Group and the landmark BBC Radio Ballads series. And as Ewan's muse, she inspired one of the twentieth century's most popular love songs, "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face". With a clear eye and generous spirit, Peggy writes of a roller-coaster life - of birth and abortion, sex and infidelity, devotion and betrayal - in a luminous, beautifully realized account.
About the Author
Peggy Seeger is a totally unique artist who has carved a special place in the folk revival of both the UK and the USA. Now in her mid-80s, her light burns as brightly as ever, with legendary live performances that might include an unaccompanied traditional ballad, followed by an anecdote from her remarkable life, before launching into a topical song about climate change, drugs, war, politics, gender equality or love. A multi-instrumentalist (piano, guitar, 5-string banjo, autoharp, English concertina and Appalachian dulcimer) , she is lauded for her feminist and political songs. She has made 23 solo recordings and participated in over a hundred more with other artists. As Ewan MacColl's partner and muse, she was the inspiration for MacColl's classic 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' (the title of her much-praised recent memoir) yet this is a woman who has consistently followed her own path with passion and vigor. "A trailblazer, both in her musical life and in her fiercely independent spirit" Evening Standard"Peggy is a commanding presence. Long may she continue." The Times"Peggy Seeger may be folk royalty but there's still plenty of the mischievous reprobate - not to mention the untamed rebel - about her." The Guardian
