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New article name Kenny Winfree, American Folk Singer Kenny Winfree (1954-    )  is an American folk singer / songwriter best known for his labor classic, “I’m A Union Card.”   “Labor’s Troubadour,” the late Joe Glazer, called Winfree, “the generation’s Woody Guthrie.”   Quoting from Glazer’s biography:  “I felt like Kenny had Woody’s knack for writing catchy, moving sounds with a message. His songs are easy to remember.” Winfree started carrying out a family tradition, working as a textile worker at the Lebanon Woolen Mill in his hometown of Lebanon, Tennessee. His father worked at the mill for 45 years, and his mother and several uncles had worked there as well. The Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union (A.C.T.W.U.), now (U.N.I.T.E.), heard Kenny’s tunes and sent them to Glazer in Washington, D.C. Glazer was so impressed with Winfree’s bluegrass style labor songs, he decided to have him record on his “Collector” label. Winfree recorded two solo albums, “Down At The Union Hall” (1986), and “Blue Collar Bluegrass” (1991). In 2006 The Smithsonian re-released both albums on its Folkways label. Glazer himself recorded two of Winfree’s tunes, “I’m A Union Card” and “Down At The Union Hall.”  Glazer included both songs on his “Joe Glazer Sings Labor Songs II” CD. A live version of “Down At The Union Hall” appears on Glazer’s “Bricklayin Union Man” CD. In fact, the “D.C. Labor Chorus” performed “I’m A Union Card” at the Joe Glazer Memorial Concert in December 2006, shortly after Glazer’s passing. Winfree’s version of “I’m A Union Card” is included in the “Classic Labor Songs From Smithsonian Folkways” CD released in May 2006. Winfree has performed at numerous union conventions, meetings, the Smithsonian Institute, and on many radio and TV shows including “Singing For The Union” which aired Labor Day 1985 on P.B.S. Kenny Winfree now works at a large aircraft plant in Texas and is a proud member of UAW Local 848 in Grand Prairie, Texas. DISCOGRAPHY Solo Albums Down At The Union Hall (1986) (2006) Blue Collar Bluegrass (1991) (2006) Compilations Classic Labor Songs from Smithsonian Folkways (2006) We Just Come To Work Here (2006) References “Labor’s Troubadour” 2001 Illinois Press “Cool Tools” (2008) AFL-CIO “Smithsonian Folkways Recordings”