Woody Guthrie: The Influence Of Pop Culture

In every era of American history, the population looks towards leaders of the free world and their politicians for much of the guidance and answers that they seek. But often times the lesser influences of “pop culture icons” are often overlooked. When the general masses idolized a single event, trend, or person so much, the latter can have an impact on social trends with enduring and meaningful significance. Often times a prominent musician, for example, has the power to sway the masses, and create social movements that encourage positive (or even sometimes negative) change that encompass a surrounding society. Through his Americana lyrics, and strong embrace of the American dream and spirit, Woody Guthrie has achieved a cultural and iconic status in the American landscape.
Woody (born Woodrow Wilson Guthrie, after the Democratic Presidential nominee) Guthrie was born on July 14th, 1912, in Okemah, Oklahoma, and died October 3rd, 1967. Woody’s father (Charles Edward) was a land speculator, and a cowboy who insisted on teaching Woody American Indian and Western songs
First, he lost his sister Clara through an accidental death involving a fire (fire becomes a theme in many of his later songs), followed by their family’s financial ruin (stemming from many poor land deals that his father was involved in). His mother was institutionalized after many of these events and eventually died of Huntington’s disease in 1930. Guthrie’s home and family suffered permanent devastation. Then 1929 at the age of 18, Guthrie left for Texas due to the busting of the Okemah’s boomtown. In Texas, he met Mary Jennings a sister to Matt Jennings, a prominent Texas musician. He married Mary Jennings in 1933 and together they gave birth to three children. His interaction with Matt Jennings (the brother of Mary) enabled him make his first attempts in a music carrier (Partington &