Me either, Anne. And as soon as I saw it announced on the Verizon site, which is my home page, I put an entry in another section of the blog, about having too many cds.

I am astonished that traditional "folk" is getting some visibility in the commercial world.

Penny-- The "folk" thing is a little amazing. Bruce has a pic of the group of musicians who worked on the Seeger project up on his site and it's totally a jug band! In this week's New York Magazine they gave huge shout outs to Sarah Harmer and Kathleen Edwards (Canadian folkies at that!). I really believe that this return to acoustic and singer/songwriter centered music is the start of a trend. Or, at least I hope it is.

Did the VH-1 "Acoustic Concerts" open the door for this?

Actually, it's not too surprising that Bruce (like we're on a first name basis!) has gone in this direction.

Even in his stadium rock days, his music had the elements of good folk tunes--stories about people, stories that explored themes from the personal to the political, and a beat you could dance to. Even he acknowledged these roots in early interviews. It's just that he had the E-Street Band, rather than the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, backing him up.

Having said all that, this selection of Seeger tunes is a little eclectic--Froggy Went A-Courtin'?

Still, can't wait to get it, and to see folk music get a little mainstream publicity again.

A most interesting element to this is that John Hammond Sr., who signed Springsteen, wanted Bruce to be a solo folk type artist in the vein of Bob Dylan and other artists that he had previously signed. Springsteen fought to use his band once he got a record contract.

On a Vision Shared he was haunting with an electric bass and his rythm guitar- Vigilante Man sent shivers down my spine...as did Mick Jagger's Long Black Veil on a Chieftan's album. All to the good, I say!

As usual, he's Bruce come-lately. Dylan put out a couple of fine CD's in the late ninety's with similar material. Even did "Froggie Went a Courting". In fairness, Bruce always pays homage to Dylan as he did at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction and I agree it's good exposure for the folk.

Bruce who?

You know, Johnny's brother, Bruce.

Oh - Oh YEAH, THAT Bruce. Thanks!

Just thought I convey a bit more on why Bruce's homage to Pete is so resonant to me --

When I was a sophomore at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey back in 1972, I lived in the dormitory next door to a quintessential tall, slim beautiful Nordic blonde young girl with whom I became quite friendly. A chief reason, at least initially, was our mutual love of music, although she didn't quite "get" what folk music was (she was a rocker), but she knew I was very lyric oriented, and that I particularly loved Pete, Joni Michell and Bob Dylan. So one day, early in the spring semester, she knocked on my door and said, "you gotta come over to my room to listen to this demo of this great new singer -- my boyfriend is in his band and he (referring to the 'great singer') just turns my head around." She then said, "Penny -- since I know you love lyrics so much, you must listen to this demo and tell me what you think of the words." So I went over to her room, and she put on the demo, and I heard, "Madman drummers bummers and Indians in the summer with a teenage diplomat..." etc., etc., and when we got all finished with the demo, I said, "I've been listening to folk/singer-songwriter music since I was 6 years old when my mother bought me a Burl Ives recording of "Blue Tail Fly" and "Big Rock Candy Mountain," all the way to the present (Joni, Paxton, Ochs, Dylan, and of course Seeger), and I haven't heard lyrics like this since the 1964-66 big three albums from Dylan." I went on to say, "This guy, whoever he is, is remarkably talented and is going to go very, very far. I only wish I had money to invest in his career."

And of course, that singer was Bruce Springsteen. So now he's making this recording for Pete and it gives new meaning to the word "closure" for me. It symbolizes some of my sweetest memories.

I guess we all get around to coming back to good ole classic folk music...no matter who you are or where you are.

The ballads, the politics, the stories & the altruism of the lyrics somehow stick to your soul & surface sooner or later.

Welcome back Bruce Springsteen.

Can't wait to hear the album, but it's a vindication of folk music as such a unique and valuable genre that Sprinstein should revisit its roots. When all else is said, the truth shall out.

I've heard it, and it's great! It's like a racous hoedown.

Brucie... Well I wasn't one of the people shouting Boo! during the recent gig for BBC4, but there were elements of Gloria Estefan trying to do real Latin music: Well conceived, worthy, accomplished, polished, sterile. Like an overly restored antique. What we call a curates egg of a show.
Best American Folk Rock outfit of the moment is Green Day