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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Backcountry group to stump for wild steelhead sanctuary ... Recharged Lost Creek, Applegate reservoirs mean plenty of water for boating and fish ... Boyfriend gets jail, probation in child-scalding case ... Backcountry group to stump for wild steelhead sanctuary ... Recharged Lost Creek, Applegate reservoirs mean plenty of water for boating and fish ... Boyfriend gets jail, probation in child-scalding case ... CULTURE Woody Guthrie Day celebrated Saturday along Columbia River Folk singer wrote songs praising river's scenery, dam's promise 75 years ago Comment By Nicholas K. Geranios The Associated Press MailTribune.com By Nicholas K. Geranios The Associated Press Posted May. 28, 2016 at 2:00 AM By Nicholas K. Geranios The Associated Press Posted May. 28, 2016 at 2:00 AM » Social News SPOKANE, Wash. — Before Macklemore or Nirvana, this land was Woody Guthrie's land. It was 75 years ago that the celebrated folk singer traveled across Washington and Oregon, composing 26 songs that extolled the virtues of Grand Coulee Dam and the electricity it produced. It was one of the most productive months of Guthrie's career, and will be celebrated on Saturday with a gathering at the giant dam on the Columbia River that remains the nation's greatest producer of hydropower. The 26 songs composed in the spring of 1941 included favorites like "Roll on Columbia," ''Pastures of Plenty," and "The Biggest Thing that Man has Ever Done." Collectively they are known as "The Columbia River Songs." "He plucked tunes about the people, the mighty Columbia River, the beautiful Northwest landscape and the promise of prosperity from new hydroelectric dams," said Libby Burke, an archivist for the Bonneville Power Administration, the Portland-based federal agency that hired Guthrie. "We're excited to celebrate the music of this great American songwriter and his 30-day employment with us back in 1941." The BPA planned to use the songs in a documentary about Columbia River hydropower, but the project was abandoned when World War II started. The film, "The Columbia," was finally finished in 1949. In honor of the anniversary, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee proclaimed Saturday as Woody Guthrie Day in the state. Events at the mile-wide dam, located 80 miles west of Spokane, run from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the visitor center. There will be panel discussions, readings and film screenings. There is no charge. The BPA is a federal power marketer that sells wholesale electricity from 31 federal dams and one nuclear plant to 142 electric utilities. Guthrie died in 1967 at the age of 55. He wrote hundreds of songs and influenced generations of musicians. His best known song is "This Land Is Your Land." Many of his songs were about his experiences during the Great Depression, when he traveled with displaced farmers from Oklahoma to California and learned their traditional folk and blues songs. Guthrie was married three times and had eight children, including folk musician Arlo Guthrie. By Nicholas K. Geranios The Associated Press MailTribune.com By Nicholas K. Geranios The Associated Press Posted May. 28, 2016 at 2:00 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501