The Year of Icons

It has certainly been starting out as a year when we celebrate and commemorate some wonderful icons ---Pete Seeger with a wonderful 90th birthday tribute featuring an amazing and star studded line-up to benefit Clearwater at Madison Square Garden.

Theodore Bikel turned 85 on May 2---and as I said earlier that is the only thing we have in common--other than our birthplace--Vienna, Austria (to distinguish it from Virginia). On June 15 there will be a gala ---and a gala it will be, at Carnegie Hall. More on that in a moment

I am delighted to tell you that Theodore Bikel will be my guest on Traditions on May 17 and again on Sunday Simcha (the following week). Hopefully you will be tuning in to hear what this icon will have to say when we talk about this event, his career, and also have some of his timeless music---folk, Yiddish, show-tunes, and, perhaps, some segments of his dramatic roles. There were many.

Now back this gala event which will be a benefit for the Juvenile Law Center --- a cause that Mr. Bikel espouses and we shall talk about when we have our conversation next week.

The nice part of these events is that these icons have arrived at a time where they can support such good works--be it this or, in Pete Seeger's case, Clearwater. In addition, we are blessed to have them with us still to be able to do their good works as well as still see their dynamism on the stage---in this case supported by a bevy of wonderful artists from Theodore Bikel's past and present---and, in the case of Susan Werner--I would have to say the future. Or, as I say on

Sunday Simcha

--the eclectic sound of ---in this case Theodore Bikel at Carnegie Hall.

Here is a list of some of the performers and those of you who listen to both TRADITIONS and

SUNDAY SIMCHA will recognize many from the different programs===

TOM PAXTON
NOEL PAUL STOOKEY
PETER YARROW

SUSAN WERNER

DAVID AMRAM---Both programs
ARLO GUTHRIE--Both Programs

BEYOND THE PALE---Sunday Simcha
and from other areas:
ALAN ALDA
MICHAEL WEX (should have him on Simcha---you will see why)
and a whole bevy of surprises to celebrate the 85th birthday of another icon.

I am honored to be a small---a very small--part by having Mr. Bikel on the programs and that WFDU and the management supports these presentations.

A few pictures of the artists that will be appearing on June 15 at Carnegie Hall:

Tom Paxton

Noel Paul Stookey

Alan Alda

I hope that you will be there and also tuned in on the dates mentioned above on WFDU---89.1 FM--You know--the eclectic weekend sound of WFDU where you hear the interesting people sing and talk of interesting items that intrigue us all.