he praised joseph stalin and the soviets.rs, however, he was drafted and joined the army. ♪ it was back in 1942 i was a member of the good platoon ♪ >> reporter: he would later renounce some of his radical views. still, 1950s he was hauled before the unamerican house activities committee. it crushed a wildly successful commercial career with his folk group and even as album sales plummeted, his activism never waivered. he opposed vietnam. ♪ his key strategy, get people to sing along with your ideas and they might start believing. >> the best music that i ever made in my life was when i could get the folks, young, old, conservative, get them all singing. ♪ to everything turn, turn, turn ♪ >> reporter: even late in life, pete seeger kept at it, opposing the iraq war and supporting environmentalism and making music, or as he said, making a difference one note at a time. ♪ we come with the defendant and we're gone with the wind ♪ >> what do you think it taking up the mantel of pete seeger in this generation? >> honestly, any youn