Mike Seeger (August 15, 1933 – August 7, 2009) was an American folk musician and folklorist. He was a distinctive singer and an accomplished musician who played autoharp, banjo, fiddle, dulcimer, guitar, mouth harp, mandolin, dobro, jaw harp, and pan pipes. Seeger, a half-brother of Pete Seeger, produced more than 30 documentary recordings, and performed in more than 40 other recordings. He desired to make known the caretakers of culture that inspired and taught him.
Mike Seeger was diagnosed with leukemia nearly a decade ago. He underwent treatment for that condition while continuing to perform, record and teach. In July of 2009, a subsequent diagnosis showed that he had developed a second cancer, multiple myeloma. In the same forthright manner in which he had always lived his life he prepared for his death, refusing additional treatment and choosing instead to enter home hospice care. He died at his home in Lexington, VA, surrounded by his wife, his sons, and his sister.
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He had three sons with his first wife, Marjorie: Kim, Chris Arley, and Jeremy.
He helped to revive interest in American folk music in the 1950s and '60s. He collected traditional Southern rural music, and gathered the stories behind the songs.
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He had a distinctive voice, and played auto-harp, banjo, dobro, dulcimer, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, and mouth harp.
$19 Million
