Woody Guthrie Biography, Illness, and Bob Dylan Link

There aren’t many songwriters who have a guitar that’s as famous as they are, but Woody Guthrie’s acoustic—stenciled with the blunt promise “This Machine Kills Fascists”—comes close. Born into the Dust Bowl and shaped by the Great Depression, Guthrie wrote songs that gave voice to the dispossessed.

Born: July 14, 1912, Okemah, Oklahoma · Died: October 3, 1967, New York City · Cause of Death: Complications from Huntington’s disease · Notable Song: “This Land Is Your Land” · Influence On: Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Bruce Springsteen

Five key biographical facts, each tied to a source:

Did Bob Dylan Actually Meet Woody Guthrie?

The first meeting in 1961

Bob Dylan first met Woody Guthrie in early 1961. The young folk fan hitchhiked to New Jersey and visited Guthrie at Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital (Britannica). Dylan later described the meeting as a pilgrimage. “I was there more as a servant,” Dylan recalled in an interview (Something Else! Reviews, music blog).

Dylan’s pilgrimage to Greystone Park

• Dylan had read Guthrie’s autobiography Bound for Glory before the visit (Huntington’s Disease News (patient-focused publication)).
• He later returned multiple times, though the exact number is unclear (IMDb).
• Dylan’s debut album included “Song to Woody,” a tribute to Guthrie (IMDb).

What this means: The Dylan–Guthrie relationship is often romanticized, but the reality is that Guthrie was already incapacitated by disease. Dylan’s spiritual debt is real, but the two never wrote or performed together.

What Was Woody Guthrie’s Illness?

Symptoms and diagnosis of Huntington’s disease

Guthrie was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease in 1952 (Britannica). The genetic disorder causes progressive breakdown of nerve cells in the brain, affecting movement, cognition, and behavior. His mother Nora had likely suffered from the same condition (Britannica). By the late 1940s, Guthrie’s health had already declined, and his erratic behavior was sometimes mistaken for alcoholism (Wikipedia (user-contributed encyclopedia)).

The hereditary nature of the condition

Huntington’s is an autosomal dominant disorder. Guthrie’s son Arlo Guthrie did not inherit the faulty allele (Memorial University). However, other descendants remain at risk, and the family has been open about the disease.

Conclusion: Guthrie’s illness was the defining challenge of his later life. It transformed him from a rambling troubadour into a bedridden icon, visited by the artists he inspired.

What Did Woody Guthrie Sing About Donald Trump’s Father?

The song “Old Man Trump”

Guthrie wrote a song called “Old Man Trump” about Fred Trump, Donald Trump’s father (Britannica). The lyrics accused Fred Trump of racist housing practices in his developments. The song was never released commercially during Guthrie’s lifetime but resurfaced decades later. “I suppose that Old Man Trump knows just how much racial hate he stirred up,” Guthrie wrote in the lyrics.

Lyrics and meaning

The song references the Trump Village project in Coney Island, Brooklyn, and accuses the landlord of “a rich man’s temper” and a “poor man’s hate.” It was rediscovered in the Woody Guthrie Archives and recorded by various artists in the 2010s.

Why this matters: “Old Man Trump” shows that Guthrie’s political anger was personal and specific—he didn’t just sing about abstractions like “the system,” he named names.

Why Is the Song “This Land Is Your Land” Controversial?

Lost verses and political context

The version of “This Land Is Your Land” most Americans learn in school omits verses that criticize private property and poverty. The original lyrics include lines like “In the squares of the city, in the shadow of a steeple / By the relief office, I saw my people” and a verse where a “No Trespassing” sign is written in “the shadow of the steeple” (Memorial University).

The song as a response to “God Bless America”

Guthrie wrote the song in 1944 as a direct rebuttal to Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America,” which he felt was complacent and ignored the nation’s inequalities (Memorial University). The final verse, often cut, reads: “This land was made for you and me” after the private property verse.

The pattern: The controversy isn’t about the melody—it’s about whether audiences are ready to hear Guthrie’s original message about ownership and poverty.

How Many of Woody Guthrie’s Children Are Still Alive?

Woody Guthrie’s children: Arlo, Nora, and others

Woody Guthrie had eight children (Britannica). Arlo Guthrie, the folk singer, died in 2025 (Britannica). Nora Guthrie, as of 2025, is alive and manages the Woody Guthrie Archives (Memorial University). Several of his children predeceased him, including two who died in infancy.

What this means: The Guthrie lineage passed through Arlo, who became a folk star in his own right, and Nora, who preserves the legacy. The family’s involvement keeps Guthrie’s music active in cultural conversations.

How Did Bob Dylan Honor Woody Guthrie?

Dylan’s tribute concerts and recordings

Bob Dylan performed a tribute concert for Woody Guthrie in 1968 and continues to reference Guthrie’s influence in interviews (IMDb). His early album The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan shows clear Guthrie vocal and lyrical influence.

Dylan’s influence from Guthrie’s music

• Dylan adopted Guthrie’s rambling persona and storytelling style.
• He covered “This Land Is Your Land” at the 1968 tribute.
• In his memoir Chronicles: Volume One, Dylan describes Guthrie as a “revelation.”

The trade-off: Dylan arguably surpassed Guthrie in fame and commercial success, but he never denied the debt. Guthrie’s legacy is partly ensured by Dylan’s devotion.

Clarity Check

Voices on Guthrie

“This machine kills fascists.”

— Woody Guthrie, written on his guitar (The Guardian)

“I was there more as a servant.”

— Bob Dylan, describing his visits to Guthrie (Something Else! Reviews)

Woody Guthrie turned a brutal life—Dust Bowl poverty, a genetic disease, years of institutionalization—into music that still rattles the comfortable. For today’s activist artists, the choice is clear: either polish the edges off protest songs to get them played on the radio, or leave the uncomfortable verses in, as Guthrie did. John Lydon: Biography, Illness, Politics & Personal Life and Luther Vandross: Life, Death, Relationships & Music offer further insights into artists who faced similar challenges.