Woody Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land” is one of the well-known tunes in the United States, but the song, and the man who wrote it, are far more complex and fascinating than most folks realize. Born in Oklahoma in 1912, Woody moved west during the Dust Bowl of the mid-1930s and witnessed first-hand the tragedy that was the Great Depression. A self-proclaimed “common-ist,” Woody dedicated his life to documenting the experiences of his generation and using his platform as a nationally-recognized musician to advocate for the common working American. In today’s episode of The Road to Now, Bob & Ben speak with Woody Guthrie Center Executive Director Deana McCloud to learn more about the experiences that shaped Woody Guthrie and the legacy he left for those of us today.

This episode was recorded at the Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa, OK. If you’re ever in the area, we highly recommend you take the time to visit. Keep up with the Woody Guthrie Center by following them on twitter or liking them on facebook. You can also get a glimpse of what the center has to offer in the video below.

This episode is the first installment of our “Music May” series that focuses on musicians and music in history.