Peter Seeger May 3 1919 January 27 2014 was an American folk singer and social activist A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s Seeger also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of the Weavers notably their recording of Lead Bellys Goodnight Irene which topped the charts for 13 weeks in 1950 Members of the Weavers were blacklisted during the McCarthy Era In the 1960s Seeger reemerged on the public scene as a prominent singer of protest music in support of international disarmament civil rights counterculture workers rights and environmental causes