Peggy Seeger - I'm Gonna Be an Engineer

Peggy Seeger

Peggy Seeger is totally unique. Sister of Pete Seeger (the great-grandfather of USA folk revivial) and partner of the late Ewan MacColl, theorist and practitioner of UK folk revival), she has carved a special niche for herself in both these countries. Trained in both classical and folk music, her experience spans 55 years of performing, travel and songwriting. She'll sing an unaccompanied traditional ballad, follow it with a tall tale about a circus high-diver, then launch into a topical song about drugs, war, hormones, politicians, unions, women, love or ecology. A multi-instrumentalist (piano, guitar, 5-string banjo, autoharp, English concertina and Appalachian dulcimer), she is probably best known for her feminist songs (such as Gonna Be an Engineer) and for The Ballad of Springhill, which latter is rapidly becoming regarded as a traditional song.

Born in 1935, she regards herself as "seasoned and in my prime". She has has made 23 solo recordings and has participated in over a hundred recordings with other artists. A native North American, she made her home in England with MacColl for 35 years. She returned to the USA for sixteen years but has returned permanently to the UK where her 3 children and 9 grandchldren live.

'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' was written to, for and about Peggy - who is 'the face'. Ewan MacColl penned it down the phone to Peggy on a long distant call in 1957. She had barely sung it since Ewan's death in 1989, until this year when she release a new version of the song.

We're pleased to welcome her to MOTH Club for an exclusive 'In Conversation' with Mataio Austin Dean (Shovel Dance Collective).

Presented by Broadside Hacks.

This is an 18+ event

Peggy Seeger

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