Retro Redux: Woody Guthrie - The Okie Troubadour Who Became Dylan's Muse

A while back I caught the John Ford movie, The Grapes Of Wrath, on TV. For those who might not know, it's based on the Steinbeck novel about the trials and tribulations of dust bowl farmers during the Depression. Although the film's message has been debated for years, and even taking into account the upbeat ending grafted on by Hollywood, it's still a fascinating story and portrays the people and the times pretty accurately.

Although it actually took place a little before my time, whenever I watch the film I see characters that could have come right out of my own childhood. It makes me reminisce about my own family, especially my maternal grandfather. I wrote recently about his years as a young man, providing for his family by working as a tenant farmer, and it's entirely possible that only an accident of geography kept his family from the same fate as the Okies.

He was in a region that was east of the dust bowl area and although I'm sure his family was touched by some of the same problems, from what I've been told they usually managed to get in a good crop and make it through the tough times. That's reflected in a picture of my uncle as a boy. He looks happy and well fed (as does his dog) and apparently they could afford an automobile. You can also see some healthy, vibrant vegetation. No drought here.

The folks in the dust bowl area had worse luck. As their farms dried up and blew away, many of them chose to migrate West, where they tried to make new lives. It was tough at first — as the movie illustrates — but most families ended up sticking it out and subsequent generations have prospered, so maybe Hollywood wasn't that far off with its optimistic ending to the movie.

Article Author: Big Geez

Big Geez is a retiree who takes time off from trimming his ear hair to write about music -- occasionally writing reviews, but most often using his regular music feature, Retro Redux, to share his opinions about how something resonates with his memories and those of his generation. …

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