Pete Seeger Honored With Inaugural Woody Guthrie Prize

Folk icon Pete Seeger will still get the Woody Guthrie Prize. He just won't physically be there to get it himself.

The show will go on for the "How Can I Keep From Singing" Woody Guthrie Prize award ceremony, despite the fact that its inaugural honoree died on Monday.

The Woody Guthrie Prize is a brand new award, created by the Woodie Guthrie Center given to someone who does good works for the less fortunate through music, film, literature, dance, or other art forms, and serving as a positive force for social change in America.

Anyone who is familiar with Pete Seeger's life knows that he should be the inaugural recipient, whether he's there to collect it or not.

Woody Guthrie's daughter, Nora who is in charge of the Woody Guthrie Center issued a statement saying, "We hope that the Woody Guthrie Prize will shed an inspirational light on those who have decided to use their talents for the common good rather than for personal gain."

The center's executive director, Deanna McLeod adds, "We are honored to present the first Woody Guthrie Prize to Pete Seeger, whose incredible career pushes the boundaries of how music can make us think, feel and act. "We can think of no better recipient than a colleague, friend and confidant of Woody himself. Pete and Woody are arguably two of the most prolific folk musicians of their lifetimes."

The award will be handed out at the Peter Norton Symphony Space in New York City on February 22. Pete Seeger died Monday at the age of 94.