Woodrow Wilson Guthrie was born on July 14, 1912, in Okemah, Oklahoma. His father Charles, a cowboy, land speculator, and local politician, taught Woody Western songs, Native American songs, and Scottish folk tunes. His mother, Nora Belle, was also a musician.
During his early years in Oklahoma, Woody experienced the first of a series of immensely tragic personal losses – the accidental death of his sister Clara, the family’s financial ruin, and the institutionalisation and eventual loss of his mother.
In 1920, oil was discovered nearby and overnight Okemah was transformed into an “oil boom” town, bringing thousands of workers, gamblers and hustlers to the once sleepy farm town. Within a few years, the oil flow suddenly stopped and Okemah suffered a severe economic turnaround, leaving the town and its inhabitants “busted, disgusted, and not to be trusted.”
From his experiences in Okemah, Woody’s uniquely wry outlook on life, as well as his abiding interest in rambling around the country, was formed.
And so, he took to the open road……..
One of Woody’s most memorable and moving songs is the Plane Wreck At Los Gatos.
