Sarah Lee Guthrie - A Legacy Lyrical Life

Tasty Brew Music

I’ve been fortunate to see Sarah Lee Guthrie perform on multiple occasions with her family at the annual Woody Guthrie Festival aka Woody fest in Woody’s hometown of Okemah, Oklahoma. The very first song I remember learning to sing outside of church hymns was Woody’s This Land is Your Land in grade school choir back in the late 1950’s. When contacted recently by Sarah Lee’s management to gauge any interest in an interview prior to an upcoming Sarah Lee Trio gig in the Kansas City area, I jumped at the chance.

I personally find it a challenge to prepare for a conversation with the descendant of a legacy artist like John Prine or Woody Guthrie; you want to be respectful of the legacy but not dwell on it to the exclusion or minimization of the talent of the artist you are speaking with… but I’m happy to say that most times it is a wonderful experience and Sarah Lee, in this instance, could not have been more gracious and forthcoming.

Sarah Lee has been touring with her father Arlo Guthrie right up until he retired a couple of years ago. She has had folks like Pete Seeger and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott as grandparent figures in her life spending a good many of her Thanksgiving holidays playing Carnegie Hall as part of the annual folk gathering started by the Weavers decades ago.

Though her lineage is undeniable, many are drawn to the clarity and soul behind Sarah Lee’s voice. As her website bio says, you’ll be drawn to the gentle urgency of her interpretation of songs that flows from the continuity of her family, her vital artistic life and the river of songs that have guided her to where she stands how. Enjoy this conversation with Sarah Lee Guthrie.