John Mellencamp will also be there, not that you would know from this rag, which constantly overlooks him. Unreal.

Here is a full list of performers:

Abigail Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet
Ani DiFranco
Arlo Guthrie
Michael Franti
Bela Fleck
Ben Bridwell (Band of Horses)
Ben Harper
Bernice Johnson Reagon
Billy Bragg
Billy Nershi (String Cheese Incident)
Bruce Cockburn
Bruce Springsteen
Dar Williams
Dave Matthews
Eddie Vedder
Emmylou Harris
Guy Davis
Jay Ungar & Molly Mason
Joan Baez
John Mellencamp
Juanes
Kate & Anna McGarrigle
Keller Williams
Kris Kristofferson
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Larry Long
Mike & Ruthy Merenda
Native American Indian Cultural Alliance
NYC Labor Chorus
Patterson Hood (Drive-By Truckers)
Preservation Hall Jazz Band with Del McCoury
Ramblin’ Jack Elliott
Richie Havens
Scarlet Moore
Silvio Rodriguez
Steve Earle
Taj Mahal
Tao Rodriguez-Seeger
Tom Chapin
Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine)
Tom Paxton
Tommy Sands
Tony Trischka
Toshi Reagon
Warren Haynes

Jay, RS loves Mellencamp. “Life, Death, Love & Freedom” was number five on the RS’ best albums of 2008 list. RS has given him virtually all four-star album reviews since “Uh-Huh” (look it up).

People who should have been mentioned in this article but were not are Billy Bragg, Steve Earle, and Ani DiFranco; musicians that are cut from the same cloth as Seeger.

PS – Thanks to Bochang for the full performer list.

Good lineup. Folk music being played in (of all places) an arena! Who knew?

Seeger’s a pseudo-socialist douche. Nothing radical about determinism.

We certainly appreciate Seeger’s help in cleaning up the Hudson, however I think he was have been more at home singing in the Soviet Union for Stalin or Trotsky, the workers utopia, maybe Springstein and Vedder will join him someday in the perfect world, oops I forgot Keith Oberman will welcome them in with a big smile and sarcasitc comment.

Well, I’m not going to credit RS for naming “Life, Death, Love & Freedom” No. 5 on the best albums of 2008 — it was such a great record that it was obvious. I will, however, take them to task for never putting Mellencamp on the cover when Bruce Springsteen can merely fart and get on the cover and get five-star reviews for everything he puts out. And I will never forgive RS for not putting Mellencamp’s brilliant 2007 album “Freedom’s Road” on the list of the top 50 albums of ‘07. That was sacrilegious.

Why isn’t Roger McGuinn in the lineup? It’s crazy that he’s not going to be performing here!!!

90 years of age is a real milestone, congratulations.
I just wanted to say if John (mellencamp) is going to be there Sheryl Crow should be there, and if Ben Harper’s going to perform so should Jack Johnson.
Also a DVD of this concert should be made, with at least Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie, Richie Havens, John Mellencamp, Taj Mahal, Eddie Vedder, Bruce Springsteen, Steve Earl, Dave Matthews, Ben Harper and Kris Kristofferson on it + all the speeches and what have you.

It’s good that Pete Seeger is getting his due. Wouldn’t it be cool if Bob Dylan showed up and played something electric.

Silvio Rodriguez? Now THAT is cool!

Hear Dylan will be there? Don’t expect Morello to perform Rage and Audioslave’s greatest hits. Its all Nightwatchman there. Glad Seeger is getting his due.

Can’t wait to go and See Warren Haynes of Gov’t Mule. He rocks. I love his singing and guitar playing.

Jay, Mellencamp has been on the cover or RS (466, Jan 86). But I’ll agree with you that RS is predisposed to celebrate Springsteen at any and all opportunities. But he deserves it.

And the truth is, Mellencamp deserves it, too. I think Mellencamp will get his due from RS (and music listeners in general) a few years from now. Dylan went through a dry spell before his renaissance in the eyes of critics and now Springsteen in enjoying the same treatment. Mellencamp’s day is just around the corner.

Of course, I don’t think Mellencmp would care one way or the other… and neither should we.

What a linup for an extraordinary man. To watch the inauguration concert and see an 89 year young Pete “run” off the stage after singing “This Land is Your Land” with Bruce and his grandson was awe inspiring. Arlo and Pete will bring back the good old days. It proves to be a sing along that for sure.

Wow, I haven’t seen a lineup this big at MSG since the concert for NYC. Come to think of it, “The Boss” and most of this line up did not see the concert for NYC either. Bruce is such a letdown. I have no problem with his politics, but that concert in 2001 was for the victims of 911. The biggest rock icons in the UK were there, but the #1 American musician skipped the show. He did not want to perform for the firemen, cops and rescue workers, but he goes all out for Obama, and now Pete Seeger. Bruce, you should be ashamed of yourself.

Steve,

Good point…but you know what you should be spending some time on considering (I know I am)….How do you acquire the Kool-Aid concession? You write your own ticket after that!!!!!!

Hey Zombie,

Only one question….when do The Partridge Family get their day in the sun?????

Dear Mr.Lip,
Better point…. but I don’t use the phrases like Kool-Aid in the manner that you used it. That, and other words, are thrown out there by far left and far right loons. I made my point on the basis of what, in my opinion, is right and wrong. Some people, excluding you of course, Mr. Lip, can’t make a point without using the phrases that are assigned to you, like a good little sheep.

Flouride, The Partridge Family’s day in the sun is not scheduled until late 2024, three years after The Beau Brummels and right before Electric Mayhem.

Steve, one could argue that Bruce Springsteen was the first out of the gate when it came to helping the victims and heroes of September 11, 2001.

Springsteen was the first perfomer during the “America: A Tribute to Heroes” telethon on September 21 of that year (the Concert for New York was held October 20). He introduced his song “My City of Ruins” as “a prayer for our fallen brothers and sisters.”

Both events raised comparative sums of money for victims, heroes, and their families ($30 million and $35 million for the telethon and concert, respectively). The Concert for New York was organized by Paul McCartney, who recruited iconic UK artists (such as the Who, Elton John, David Bowie, and himself) to serve as the headlining performers over lower-billed American acts (like Bon Jovi and Janet Jackson).

I’m not convinced that Springsteen’s absence from the bill had anything to with his personal willingness to participate. It seems the responsibility rests more with McCartney, the event organizer and final performer of the evening.

Mellancamp may have a similar voice as Bruce’s, he may have a similar reverence for americana as Bruce, but he is no Bruce. The power is the word. Truth be known, Mellancamp is no great writer; he has no gift for imagery. The fact that his voice (the physical one and the political one) have similarities to Bruce’s has only hurt him; he’ll always be the unfortunate parody. Put JM next to Bruce AND Seeger, and this point is glaring. I have loved Bruce for many years, but have never been able to stomach much of what John Cougar or John Cougar Melllancamp, or John Mellancamp has done. JM probably can’t write well because he doesn’t know or want to know who he is: some dumb kid with a corncob in his mouth who wanted to make a buck, got disenchanted with the biz, and went back to the farm. It’s nice that he’ll come to this, though. He should be able to sing a folk song reasonably well and sound like he means it.

What will the Songs (setlist’s) be like, will everyone be playing there own stuff or will it be all pete seeger covers? And how long will it last, I think doors are at 5pm? Anybody?

Steve: Your finger-wagging at Springsteen for not appearing at the Concert for NYC post-911 is sadly misguided. Yes, that was an important and cathartic one-time event. However, Springsteen gives back night after night in every show he does, shining the spotlight on local community organizations by urging the audience to volunteer and to give money and that is in addition to the countless contributions he makes without calling attention to himself to those same groups plus
veterans organizations and many other national and local groups. Yes, he missed that NYC
photo op, but you missed the larger picture.

I couldn’t agree more Jay RS couldnt even be bothered putting Mellencamps name up the top page yet he deserves so much more respect from this mag why does he have to be compared to Springsteen,Mellencamp just does his own thing not giving a shit whether he sounds like or acts like Bruce

Eddie Vedder will not be there, just saw it on the pearl jam homepage
that stinx!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!