The Almanac Singers

Almanac Singers
OriginNew York City
GenresFolk
Years active1940–1942/1943
LabelsKeynote, Almanac Records, General, Asch, Stinson
Past membersWoody Guthrie
Lee Hays
Millard Lampell
Pete Seeger
Sis Cunningham
Peter Hawes
Baldwin "Butch" Hawes
Bess Lomax Hawes
Cisco Houston
Arthur Stern
Josh White
Jackie Alper
Burl Ives
Jaime Lowden
Sam Gary
Charles Polacheck

The Almanac Singers was an American New York City-based folk music group, active between 1940 and 1943, founded by Millard Lampell, Lee Hays, Pete Seeger, and were joined by Woody Guthrie. The group specialized in topical songs, mostly songs advocating an anti-war, anti-racism and pro-union philosophy. They were part of the Popular Front, an alliance of liberals and leftists, including the Communist Party USA (whose slogan, under their leader Earl Browder, was "Communism is twentieth century Americanism"), who had vowed to put aside their differences in order to fight fascism and promote racial and religious inclusiveness and workers' rights. The Almanac Singers felt strongly that songs could help achieve these goals.[citation needed]