Monday, February 8, 2010
Obituary / Phillips Richard A. "Pete" Peterson, Country Music Scholar, Dead at 77
Posted by Betsy Phillips on Mon, Feb 8, 2010 at 1:38 PM
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Pete Peterson was one of the happiest people I have ever known. I was fortunate to know him as an undergrad and grad student at Vanderbilt. In later life, I had the pleasure of Pete and Claire's company on my farm as they came to visit, to walk in my Garden and to pick blueberries up on the ridge.
Pete's puckish sense of humor often came in handy. For example, last year I was asked to write a review of the book, "Dying To Get High:Marijuana As Medicine", for the professional journal "Contemporary Sociology". Writing the review was much easier than trying to decide what to put in the heading as my "institutional affiliation". Most of the reviewers were professors who listed their academic institutions, but I was neither a professor nor employed in academia.
Pete and I discussed the dilemma and then came to a sensible solution that would made my perspective quite relevant for the review. We decided that I should just list my Federal Bureau of Prisons number as my "affiliation". I can still hear Pete laughing and saying "Perfect!" to that decision. And that is how it appeared in print.
Pete will be missed, but his smile will linger, floating above my hammock in the shade of the black walnuts where he took a long nap on his last visit to my farm. My heart goes out to Claire and their three kids -- Pete was a kind and welcoming man and I am thankful to have known him.
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Pete was a terrific teacher; I had the pleasure to speak with his classes on several occasions about "public support for the arts" (when I was with Tennessee Arts Commission). A wonderful colleague who made important contributions and will be missed.
Pete Peterson was a champion of student, of music, of the human spirit and of popular culture. I was fortunate to have him as my advisor at Vanderbilt and he continued to take an interest in my career and family throughout the years past graduation.
We have lost a beloved scholar and friend. If only some of today's self-proclaimed
arbiters of musical and pop culture review could have had the gift of his wit and perspective.
Blessings to Claire and family. Don't you know he is having a blast in Rock and Roll heaven. Wouldn't you like to be a fly on that wall!!!!!!!
My only contact in person with Pete came when he was presenting at a conference just after the release of his innovative book on fabricating authenticity. He signed a copy for me and was genuinely interested in my own research. It's clear that Pete was a gentle, modest and model scholar.
