Balladeer's portrait unveiled at state Capitol

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- A portrait of Oklahoma native and Dust Bowl era singer Woody Guthrie was unveiled Thursday at the state Capitol.<br/><br/>His son Arlo and sister, Mary Jo Edgemon, were among many

Thursday, July 15th 2004, 5:40 pm

By: News On 6

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- A portrait of Oklahoma native and Dust Bowl era singer Woody Guthrie was unveiled Thursday at the state Capitol.

His son Arlo and sister, Mary Jo Edgemon, were among many family members on hand for the ceremony. Arlo Guthrie performed three of his late father's songs, including his signature "This Land is Your Land."

Woody Guthrie's social activism left him unpopular to many conservative Oklahomans. But Senator Charles Ford says Guthrie was a hero to many Oklahomans who lived during Great Depression.

Arlo Guthrie says the portrait is "totally cool."

The portrait will be unveiled again later today in Woody Guthrie's hometown of Okemah before being returned to hang in the Rotunda of the Capitol.

Woody Guthrie died in 1967.