by Robert Wilkinson Today we honor the memory of one of the greatest musical voices of the 20th century, the legendary Woody Guthrie. This year would have marked his 111th birthday. If Walt Whitman was America's first great poet, and Bob Dylan the third, then we must grant the amazing Woody Guthrie the position of the second Poet Laureate America ever had. The voice of the working person, the underdog, the "common man," Woody gave us tunes not just for the unions, not just for the field laborers, but for us all. Woody Guthrie (July 14, 1912 – October 3, 1967) was a rambling man, a poet, itinerant drifter, and ultimately a tragic figure who died way too young. His life is that of legend, and he left us with a treasure trove of songs giving hope to all who have labored wondering when they would be delivered to a better life. Perhaps his attitude is best summed up by what he had painted on his guitar: "This machine kills fascists." That's Woody Guthrie in a
