He was far more than a folksinger. Pete Seeger has been called America's conscience, speaking out on issues that may not have been popular at the time but are now considered "the right thing."
In an interview several years ago with Charlie Rose, Seeger said it's often easier to say tough things in a song than in simple direct speech. He often used music to say tough things that needed to be said.
I grew up with his music, but never thought of him as more than a folksinger until I saw a PBS American Masters show about him. That's when I came to appreciate what he did for us -- not only penning so many memorable songs, but standing up and fighting for so many things we now hold dear.
Pete Seeger died last night at age 94.