Yes, it’s still free to subscribe to this nearly daily newsletter! Greg Mitchell is the author of fourteen books and director of five films for PBS since 2022. In a previous life, he was a longtime editor at the legendary Crawdaddy.
Just back from my week-long travels to L.A. and Tulsa (for the Woody Guthrie Center) for premiere screenings of our Woody film. But now, after its broadcast PBS premiere in L.A. on Thursday you can all watch it NOW, as it is streaming over PBS.org and PBS apps, or maybe coming up at your local PBS station in July (listings will follow next week). Special thanks to Caleb Ford for music in Tulsa and to Sam Flowers for showing me a great tour and time there!
Narrator Rosanne Cash gave another shout out for the film to her many fans yesterday. You can watch it streaming either at the main PBS site or via the host SoCal PBS site in L.A. Either way: 57 minutes. I play the role of John Steinbeck. Bruce provides the finale. Please let me know what you think in the comments here!
Was interviewed in L.A. for a fine article, along with our musical guest out there, the great Carla Olson.
Just launched a modest web site for the film, which has some early responses and will include station listings and updates and photos as we roll along.
See below for videos of last night’s historic concert in Mass. of Wilco and Billy Bragg, plus a delighted Natalie Merchant, performing for the first time much of their Grammy-winning “Mermaid Avenue” albums of their music with Woody’s lyrics. Speaking of Natalie, I found her self-portrait and signature on the Wall of Fame for certain visitors to the Guthrie Center in Tulsa, from Dylan on down. That’s my signature below her. Kind of a thrill.
David Corn at Mother Jones wrote of the film last week that it “goes beyond depicting this important history and draws a poignant connection to the plight of migrant workers today and the cruelty and brutality they currently face from ICE raids and Trump’s anti-immigration crusade.” And sure enough, now we have this, via Heather Cox Richardson:
The turmoil in Washington, D.C., reflects the changing world of American politics as the Republicans become a far-right party that embraces white nationalism while those Americans standing firm on the nation’s historic democratic principles jockey to create a political system that will represent their movement.
On June 25 the Supreme Court allowed Trump and his administration to end the legal status of more than 350,000 people who are in the United States under temporary protected status, or TPS, after fleeing wars and violence in Syria and Haiti. The six right-wing justices cited procedural reasons for their decision, but Trump loyalists read it as an endorsement of their white nationalism.
White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller told reporters: “This country doesn’t have a future if we don’t end birthright citizenship…. One way or another, this nation has to end birthright citizenship.”
Music Picks
If not for my little tour, I surely would have been up in North Adams, Mass., last night for that Wilco-Billy Bragg reunion for “Mermaid Avenue.” I listed to it all via the local NPR outlet but could not see it, but a few good videos have now been posted. Here’s our Natalie happily joining them for “Way Over Yonder in a Minor Key.”
Natalie dancing throughout “Hoodoo Voodoo.”
“Secret of the Sea” and “My Flying Saucer.”
The naughty double-entendres of “Walt Whitman’s Niece.” Not to say which seamen.
A “California Stars” encore.
And then Nora Guthrie and dozens of other Guthries join in for “This Land Is Your Land.” I spoke to one of them early that morning.
From Tunes to Toons
Bramhall:
Davies:
Telnaes:
Wuerker:
Bennett:
Goris:
Photo Finish
At the Dylan Museum in Tulsa: Bob sings at Newport in ‘65 with his iconic black leather jacket that he wore that historic night.
Greg so happy for you and your film. Great accomplishment!
Woody! Great selection of cartoons.