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Hard Travelin': The Life and Legacy of Woody Guthrie
Severance Hall
Sept. 1, 1996
This concert launched the American Music Master Series, an annual conference and concert series that is now one of the Rock Hall's marquee events. The first installment paid tribute to Dust Bowl-era folk icon Woody Guthrie, inducted in 1988 as an early influence. Guthrie's protest singer son Arlo gave the keynote address, and the concert that followed featured big-name acts such as Bruce Springsteen, the Indigo Girls, and Ani DiFranco, all of them belting out Guthrie songs. Highlights captured on the 2000 live album 'Til We Outnumber 'Em include Springsteen's take on "Plane Wreck at Los Gatos" and DiFranco's hushed version of "Do Re Me." A mix of music and spoken word, the concert was immortalized in a collection of essays published by the Wesleyan University Press. (Niesel)