Folk Music Legend, 90, Performs Love Song She Refused to Sing for 36 Years
- - Folk Music Legend, 90, Performs Love Song She Refused to Sing for 36 Years
Nina DerwinJanuary 18, 2026 at 12:07 AM
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Photo by Gems/Redferns
Peggy Seeger gave viewers of Ireland's RTE Late Late Show a touching performance they never could have expected.
The American folk music icon, 90, is undeniably one of the most influential voices in the genre's long history. Her penchant for music was handed down to her from her parents, a folklorist and musicologist and a composer, but it was her relationship with famed singer-songwriter, Ewan MacColl, that set the course for the rest of her seven-decade career.
The pair met in 1956 when Seeger, a native New Yorker, was working in London, performing as a singer and banjoist with a folk music act called The Ramblers. They fell deeply in love, and the following year, MacColl wrote a song for her, "The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face," which would go on to become one of the greatest love songs of all time. The duo went on to record and release a number of albums together, and Seeger released several solo albums in addition to those she recorded with the Seeger Sisters.
Eventually, MacColl and Seeger married, and they stayed together until MacColl died in 1989. From that moment on, Seeger refused to perform the song her late husband had written for her.
However, all of that changed during Seeger's recent appearance on the Irish late night talk show. The nonagenarian told host Patrick Kielty that she had a "change of heart" because she'd found love again — this time, with Irish singer Irene Pyper-Scott.
“For 20 years I could not sing it, but I've had two life partners in my life, one male and one female, and Irene and I are still together. So, when I sing it, I sing it to and from both of my life partners now."
Seeger then proceeded to deliver a moving rendition of "The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face," accompanying herself on the piano. The audience went silent, seemingly aware of the weight of the moment, both in its beauty and its meaning. When she finished, she received a standing ovation.
To everyone's surprise, Seeger interrupted the applause. "I have something to say. I have sung that song for over 75 years and that's the first time I have ever forgotten the lyrics."
Over the years, "The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face" has been recorded by countless artists, and Roberta Flack's 1972 rendition even went on to become an international hit. The song earned Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Record of the Year, and Billboard named it the number-one Hot 100 single of the 1972.
Watch Seeger's breathtaking performance below.
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This story was originally published by Parade on Jan 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
