Struggle

Vinyl version, reissued in 2018, is remastered from the original 1976 master tapes, packaged in classic Folkways-style tip-on jackets with original liner notes.

This recording, first released by Folkways founder Moses Asch in 1976 to coincide with the celebration of America’s Bicentennial, was originally recorded by Asch in the 1940s. The collection captures Woody Guthrie at his artistic best with gritty songs about the struggles of the American worker (“Waiting at the Gate,” “The Dying Miner”), unions (“Ludlow Massacre,” “1913 Massacre”), and an ode to a bad man (“Pretty Boy Floyd”). Blues harmonicist Sonny Terry sits in with Guthrie on “Lost John,” and fellow traveling companion and folksinger Cisco Houston contributes his voice, guitar, and a song (“Get Along Little Doggie”).

The vinyl reissue of Struggle includes the liner notes written by Moses Asch. This reissue is part of Folkways Records’ 70th anniversary celebration series, revisiting some of the most iconic and influential albums released on the record label.

For a limited time only, we are offering the vinyl reissue of Struggle along with the new reissues of Lightnin' Hopkins' Lightnin' Hopkins, and Joseph Spence's Bahaman Folk Guitar, as a Vinyl Bundle with Bonus Folkways Slipmat.