Pete’s music and activism continue to be remembered here in the East Bay. Our local singers and songleaders have been out in force. Monday evening the Freight and Salvage Coffee House held a free evening concert, but starting at noon people gathered outside and a huge group sing of hundreds of people took place. Check Betsy Rose’s website for a wonderful account of the outside singing. KPFA FM (94.1) broadcasted the inside concert, hosted by Holly Near, to their listening audience in Northern California and it will be archived for a few days at KPFA.org. Among the local celebrities singing were Barbara Dane, Wavy Gravy, Country Joe MacDonald, Ronnie Gilbert & many more.
There have been memorial sing-a-longs in neighborhoods and at local book stores. Sing Thing Family Singing held 2 memorial sing-a-longs, one in Albany and one in Oakland last week. Of course, for us every week is filled with songs I learned from Pete and the Weavers. I sang animal songs I learned from Pete’s many recordings at the Oakland Zoo Gate in support of the Save Knowland Park group’s efforts to save Oakland’s last beautiful, natural ridge for our native animals and plants. His singing was always linked to his activism and in the later decades of his life he became a dedicated environmental activist.