NASHVILLE HONORS WOODY GUTHRIE
WITH MONTH-LONG TRIBUTE

EXHIBITS TO SHOW RARELY SEEN SIDE OF WOODY GUTHRIE
during Nashville's Guthrie 90th Year Celebration
presented by Gibson Guitar and Baldwin Piano

WOODY GUTHRIE FOUNDATION and Archives
250 West 57th Street, Suite 1218 New York, NY 10107

For Immediate Release
January 5th, 2002

Press Contact: Kari Estrin, Producer
Phone: 615-262-0883
Fax: 615-262-9885
Email: kari@kariestrin.com

Michael Smith, WG Foundation
Phone: 212-541-6230
Email: msmith@woodyguthrie.org

The Woody Guthrie Foundation and Archives, located in New York, has put together three exhibits for Nashville's month-long Woody Guthrie 90th Year Celebration, presented by Gibson Guitar and Baldwin Piano. These exhibits will be hosted by Bongo Java/Fido - at all three of their locations. These exhibits give insight into the creative genius that extended beyond Guthrie's songwriting abilities and illustrate parts of his life not known to the general public.

Guthrie may be known as America's great balladeer, author of the unofficial national anthems, "This Land is Your Land," but few know Guthrie was a "people's artist" as well. From his earliest childhood years, he discovered the quickest way to acceptance for the quirky, wild-haired and unconventional boy, was to escape ridicule with his ability to entertain with the harmonica, by drawing cartoons or by creating fanciful murals in the classroom's chalkboards. As a displaced child, with a mother suffering from Huntington's Disease in an era where it wasn't understood, Woody learned to live by his wits and artistry just to be able to eat. Moving from Okemeh, Oklahoma to the Texas panhandle while still a young boy, he took up sign painting and off and on relied on his ability to earn a meal or a place to say with his paintbrushes. He used pen and ink, pencil for his stick figure cartoons (his father paid for a correspondence course in cartoons for Woody to get serious, which wasn't Woody's way) and he dabbled in oil and canvas.

Two of the Bongo Java exhibits feature Woody's drawings and the exhibit at Fido's features stunning photographs that open up an often unknown side of Woody Guthrie's history. The exhibitions in all three locations will begin with an opening reception at Fido (1812 21st Avenue S.) on January 12th, from 5pm - 7pm.

To commemorate the event, Bongo Java Roasting Company will create and sell it's own "Woody Blend" throughout the month.

A LISTING OF THE BONGO JAVA/FIDO EXHIBITS FROM THE ARCHIVES

"The Faces of Woody Guthrie: Photographs from the Archives"
This exhibit is comprised of twenty rare photographs of Woody Guthrie dated
from 1939-1954, housed in the Woody Guthrie Archives. It will be on display at Fido (1812 21st Ave. S. Nashville, TN 37212) Opening reception for all three exhibits on January 12 from 5 - 7 pm.

"Bound for Glory: Woody Guthrie's Self-Illustrated Life Story"
-- Woody Guthrie was as expressive in his visual art as he was in his
songwriting. Woody created 59 illustrations for his autobiography, "Bound
for Glory." Twenty five of these little-known works of art will be on
display at the Bongo Java Roasting Company (107 S.11th St., Nashville, TN 37206). For more information, call (615) 777-BJRC.

"This is the Hand: Woody's Vision of Labor"
-- An active voice for the rights of the working man, Woody Guthrie was a
strong advocate of labor unions. The series of art, "This is the Hand" is a
brilliant commentary on the worker's world and a powerful justification for
worker's unions. Graciously on loan from The Oklahoma Museum of History. This poigniant artwork can be seen at Bongo Java (2007 Belmont Blvd. Nashville, TN 37212). For more information, call(615) 385-JAVA

All exhibits open to the public free of charge, including opening reception

Dates/events subject to change