LAKEPORT, Calif. – In a benefit for the Soper Reese Theatre, several talented musicians will pay tribute to the life of Pete Seeger who died last January at the age of 94.

The “Celebrating Pete Seeger” concert takes place on the theater’s stage at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 24. All seats are $15.

Seeger, a three-time Grammy winner and political activist, was best known for such iconic American folk songs as “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?,” “We Shall Overcome,” and “Turn, Turn, Turn.”

His hallmark instrument was emblazoned with the words, “this banjo surrounds hate and forces it to surrender,” and he always encouraged his audiences to sing along.

Seeger’s life and times will be honored by several well known musicians from the area including Don Coffin on guitar and mandolin.

Coffin plays with the blue grass group, “Uncorked,” and is one of the original members of Kate Wolf’s band, “Wildwood Flower.”

Also playing is Will Siegel, on guitar and banjo. He teaches guitar at Mendocino College and was a member of the “Wildwood Flower” band.

Peter Baird, who will play guitar at the concert, once played with Seeger when Baird was director of the Sacramento Labor Chorus. Baird also interviewed Seeger for his doctoral dissertation on children's musicians. Baird's brother, Steve, who will play bass, also has a degree in music.

Verne Morninglight has been a Pete Seeger fan since childhood, learning to play the 12 string guitar in the Elizabeth Cotton style of picking, as did Seeger. Verne has performed at such historic folk venues as the Hungry Eye in San Francisco.

Special guest for the evening, Mandy Feder, will share her reminiscences of time spent with Seeger, who had been a lifelong family friend.

And then there will be the voices of the audience, so essential to a Seeger concert. The Emandal Chorale, directed by Don Willis, will get things started as they sing from the seats and encourage the rest of the audience to join in.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.soperreesetheatre.com ; at the box office, 275 S. Main St., Lakeport, on Fridays from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; or at The Travel Center, 1265 S. Main St., Lakeport, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information please call 707-263-0577.