Most Americans know "This Land Is Your Land" as a simple, upbeat campfire anthem. But when local recording artist MORGXN takes the stage at 7 p.m. at the Belcourt Theatre on Tuesday, Aug.18, audiences will hear the iconic song exactly as Woody Guthrie originally penned it in 1945 – complete with politically charged verses that are often left out.
MORGXN's live performance will kick off opening night of the 26th Annual Nashville Jewish Film Festival (NJFF). The screening features the documentary film "Dust Bowls and Jewish Souls: Another Side of Woody Guthrie," directed by Steven Pressman.
This film explores a deeply influential yet widely overlooked chapter of the folk legend’s life. Including his second marriage to Marjorie Greenblatt and his deep relationship with his Jewish mother-in-law, the famous Yiddish poet and author Aliza Greenblatt. This unique cultural family bond heavily informed Guthrie's worldview and directly inspired much of his later songwriting, bridging the gap between Oklahoma dust storms and American Yiddish creativity.
MORGXN, a queer pop singer-songwriter and native Nashvillian is a passionate First Amendment advocate. Here are his words when he recently performed the uncensored anthem at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville:
"They taught this song to us like it was a simple anthem, but if they really let us hear all the words, they would hear the deep dissonance between what we are and what we could be. That’s the song to me."
The film festival runs from Aug.18 to Sept. 9, 2026. For tickets or more information, see the festival guide inserted in this issue of The Observer, or visit the official Nashville Jewish Film Festival website, www.nashvillejff.org.
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