"It's no small feat to create a record that will hold the attention of someone who is not used to listening to records. If you do it right, it's a treasure. This is that."
— Arlo Guthrie

On October 27, Smithsonian Folkways will release Go Waggaloo, a 13-track disc of children's music from Sarah Lee Guthrie & Family featuring her husband Johnny Irion, their two daughters, and a host of other family and friends including her father Arlo Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Pete's grandson Tao Rodriguez Seeger.

FULL LENGTH STREAM
Please enjoy this free preview from Go Waggaloo.

Guthrie presents thoughtful yet playful recordings of traditional songs and new compositions, including three songs featuring lyrics by her grandfather Woody Guthrie from the Smithsonian Folkways archives never before put to music and eight songs written by Sarah Lee and family. This is Sarah Lee Guthrie's first children's recording and her first recording for Smithsonian Folkways, home of 42 albums featuring Woody Guthrie and more than 200 children's recordings by Pete Seeger, Ella Jenkins, Lead Belly and many others.

Go Waggaloo continues the Guthrie family chain of song-making first forged by Sarah's grandfather, Woody Guthrie (whose drawings are featured on the album cover and booklet). With song notes written by Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion, a touching introduction from Arlo Guthrie, and notes from children's music expert Stefan Shepherd, Go Waggaloo bridges generations of music lovers by combining traditional folk music with contemporary lyrics and instrumentation. Listening to Go Waggaloo one can hear a drum machine, songs about Xboxes© and DVDs, and a spur of the moment song recorded on a cell phone by the Guthrie family on a road trip.

A special pre-order for visitors to folkways.si.edu will be available in September. Please subscribe to the monthly Smithsonian Folkways email newsletter to receive information about the special pre-order, other Smithsonian Folkways news, free downloads, trivia contests, and other special discounts.