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[On a previous post, Jeff Titon asked: "Whatever does it mean to emulate a mentality?"] By this I meant that Guthrie imitated or represented, through his lyrics, a certain belief, outlook, attitude, or ideology (whatever word works best for you). To employ some theoretical jargon here, you might say that his discourse articulated the larger political/historical context of the Depression and Okie migration. [Titon: "Whatever is union avocation?"] Perhaps I used the wrong phrasing or word here, but it seems that this is rather self explanatory. I simply mean that he was a union man (as he sang so frequently). Anyone who knows even a few Guthrie songs, knows that he advocated unions and worker unification...how better to battle the vigilante men and attain workers' rights? I hope that this clears up the puzzlement of my statements. I believe Mr. Salter has made some compelling points...perhaps I went a little too far when I said "far-left." But he also seems to prove my point that, at least today, many country musicians and audiences have veered right, which has affected the lyrical content of the music, further associating it with conservativism. The fact that Guthrie was not far left perhaps doesn't matter....contemporary audiences would consider him--if not far--at least slightly left. Again, the question was "Do I consider him a country singer? Not, "Did he consider himself a country singer?" David Leventhal University of Tennessee, Knoxville
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