"Deportee (Woody's Home Tape)"

Today—on what would have been Woody Guthrie’s 113th birthday—we’re honored to release “Deportee (Woody’s Home Tape)”, the only known recording of Woody himself performing this powerful protest song.

Written in 1948 in response to a tragic plane crash and the mistreatment of migrant workers, “Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos)” has become one of Woody’s most enduring compositions. But until now, the world had only heard others sing it.

Captured in the early 1950s, this intimate home recording offers a rare, unfiltered glimpse into Woody’s voice and vision—and reveals, for the first time, the original melody and vocal interpretation he intended for “Deportee.” Check it out, link in bio!