by Kathy O’Connell, Host of Kids Corner for WXPN

There are saints who walk among us. It has nothing to do with religion. These are people who have a glow about them, and they lift up everyone they encounter. I’ve been lucky to meet a couple of these special souls. Fred Rogers was one. Pete Seeger is a saint who still walks among us. 

Before “Kids Corner,” from 1983-87, I hosted a national show for kids called “Kids America” from WNYC in New York. One evening, Pete Seeger was scheduled as a guest. “Kids America” was a 90-minute daily live show, divided into 30-minute portions.

We did “Kids America” in an ancient broadcast studio located in a very long room with a large piano at one end. My co-host (Larry Orfaly) and I were nervous about Pete’s appearance. He was Pete Seeger, the man who created music and stories for several generations of children. He was the man who brought “Abiyoyo” to life. A man who stood up for justice and truth and paid a price for his beliefs. He was a legend, and he was going to be in our studio. Nervous? We were scared to death. 

Pete wandered into the studio early, while Larry and I were in the middle of another segment of the show. He wore a blue workshirt and jeans. He carried a guitar, which he laid upon the piano. He smiled and watched and truly seemed interested in whatever we were talking about. He took out a small knife, an apple, and peeled, sliced, and ate the apple while he watched us. I have no idea what we talked about on that episode of “Kids America.” I was transfixed by the image of a raw-boned older gentleman at the end of the room, eating an apple, with a look of interest on his face that made me feel like pearls were coming from my mouth, rather than the nonsense I was probably spouting. I felt serene, which is not a common emotion during a live radio broadcast.

When it was Pete’s turn to join us for the segment, he fit in like he had been part of the “Kids America” family for ages. He sang; he told stories. He talked about the importance of personal freedom, and I felt like I was in the presence of the world’s oldest soul in the world’s youngest body. Mostly, I felt a glow around him. He sang “If I Had a Hammer,” and invited us to join him, along with listeners at home.

There was no ego to this man, despite his accomplishments. His joy in the moment was infectious, and I remember feeling as though the glow that engulfed him was warming me as well. It was magical. Pete Seeger is a saint who walks among us. 

Pete Seeger performing “Abiyoyo”: