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John Lennon: Musical Peace Maker

Scott Rieder — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 14:40:14 +0000

John Lennon: Musical Peace Maker

December 2010

John Lennon
Musical Peace Maker

“Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will be as one. ”
― “Imagine,” by John Lennon

John Lennon was a songwriter, lead singer of the famed British band The Beatles, and one of the most iconic musical artists in history.

Lennon grew up in Liverpool, England, where he first gained an interest in music. His first band, The Quarrymen, later evolved into The Beatles in 1960. Along with Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, The Beatles — considered by many critics to be the greatest rock and roll band in history — enjoyed unprecedented success in their British homeland before journeying to the United States where they became an international phenomenon.

After their break-up in 1970, Lennon embarked on a moderately successful solo career. In particular, he sang about anti-war and world peace themes, while focusing on civil rights activities with his wife, Yoko Ono.

Lennon and Ono took advantage of their honeymoon as a Bed-In for Peace at the Amsterdam Hilton in the Netherlands and would later stage another at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, where they recorded the anti-war anthem, “Give Peace a Chance.” This would later be sung by 250,000 anti-war demonstrators in Washington, D.C., during the second Vietnam Moratorium Day. Many of Lennon’s songs became musical symbols of the anti-war movement.

Lennon died in December 1980 after being shot outside his home in New York City. In all, as a performer, writer or co-writer, Lennon had 27 No. 1 singles on the US Hot 100 chart. Although he has been gone for 30 years, his legacy as a musician and peace activist still carries strong emotions for those impacted by his work.

Peter LaFarge: Tribal Troubadour

Scott Rieder — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 19:22:40 +0000

Peter LaFarge: Tribal Troubadour

November 2010

Peter LaFarge
Tribal Troubadour

“Gather ’round me, people, there’s a story I would tell,
About a brave young Indian you should remember well;
From the land of the Pima Indians, a proud and noble band,
Who farmed the Phoenix Valley in Arizona land.”
―Chorus: “The Ballad of Ira Hayes,” by Peter LaFarge

Peter LaFarge was a singer and songwriter known for bringing Native American issues into the public spotlight in the 1950s and 1960s through contemporary folk music.

As a youth, LaFarge competed as a rodeo rider. After serving in the United States Navy during the Korean War, he worked as a rodeo cowboy where an accident almost cost him a leg. After recuperating, he relocated to New York City, where he became increasingly interested in music, particularly songwriting. As a singer-songwriter, he became well-known as a folk music singer in Greenwich Village, along with Bob Dylan, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Dave Van Ronk and Pete Seeger.

As a result of his performances in Greenwich Village, he was signed to Folkways Records and recorded five albums devoted to Native American themes between 1962 and 1965.

His most famous song, “The Ballad of Ira Hayes,” tells the story of a Pima Indian who became a hero as one of five United States Marines who raised the U.S. flag at Iwo Jima, but later experienced prejudice and became an alcoholic after his return to civilian life. This song was made popular by Johnny Cash, who covered the song in his 1964 album, Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian. It would reach No. 3 on the Billboard country music chart.

Tragically, LaFarge died on October 27, 1965, in his New York City apartment. With his powerful lyrics and messages, LaFarge is widely considered a pioneer in the Native American rights movement and is known for being one of the first politically aware Native American musical artists.

Ma Rainey: LGBT Blues Singer

Scott Rieder — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 13:35:13 +0000

Ma Rainey: LGBT Blues Singer

October 2010

Ma Rainey
LGBT Blues Singer

“You don’t sing to feel better. You sing ’cause that’s a way of understanding life.” —Ma Rainey

Ma Rainey was one of the earliest professional blues singers and one of the first women artists to record the blues. Her powerful yet raspy voice, unique melodic phrasing and trademark “moaning” style of singing earned her the title of “mother of the blues.” Rainey played a key role in meshing the less polished, male-dominated country blues with the smoother, female-concentrated urban blues of the 1920s.

Born Gertrude Pridgett on April 26, 1886, in Columbus, Georgia, Rainey began performing in her early teens. After she married Will Rainey, a fellow singer and entertainer, in 1904, she performed under the name “Ma Rainey.” The couple eventually formed their own group, Rainey and Rainey, Assassinators of the Blues. She was discovered by a producer at Paramount Records in 1923 and signed a recording contract with the company. Ma Rainey made more than 100 recordings during her five years at Paramount, and at various times, her band included jazz stars Louis Armstrong, Tommy Dorsey and Coleman Hawkins.

Although she was married to Pa Rainey, Ma Rainey was candid about her love of women, as is evident in her 1928 recording, “Prove It on Me Blues.” Today, Rainey is considered a woman of great courage for revealing her sexual orientation, as it was considered taboo during that era to speak of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) relations.

Rainey died of heart disease in 1939 at age 53. She was inducted into the Blues Foundation’s Blues Hall of Fame in 1983, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 and the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1992. She was named one of Georgia’s Women of Achievement in 1993.

Odetta Holmes: Voice of Civil Rights

Scott Rieder — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:56:48 +0000

Odetta Holmes: Voice of Civil Rights

Odetta Holmes
Voice of Civil Rights

“No one can dub you with dignity. That’s yours to claim.” – Odetta Holmes

Odetta Holmes—known simply as Odetta—was born in Birmingham, Alabama, on December 31, 1930. At age six, she moved to Los Angeles, where she studied music at the Los Angeles City College. Coached by a music teacher who heard her singing after school, the classically trained singer discovered folk music in her teens. Odetta created a name for herself using her powerful voice and acoustic guitar to give life to songs usually sung by ordinary people, as well as prison songs and slave plantation spirituals. Attention from Harry Belafonte helped push her into the national spotlight in the early 1950s.

Cited as a primary influence for songwriters such as Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, Odetta became a leader in American folk music. Injecting her songs with messages of equality and social justice, Odetta took an active role in the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where she sang “O Freedom.” Her performance would forever serve as a powerful symbol of the civil rights movement, with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. going on to dub Odetta as “the queen of American folk music.” Despite this title, Odetta considered her role to be “one of the privates in a very big army.”

In 1999, Odetta was awarded the National Endowment for the Arts’ National Medal of the Arts. President Bill Clinton said her career showed “us all that songs have the power to change the heart and change the world.” Odetta was still performing as recently as October 2008 and had expressed wishes to sing at Barack Obama’s presidential inauguration. She died from heart disease at the age of 77 on December 2, 2008, in New York City.

Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes: Chanteuse for Children

Scott Rieder — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:37:36 +0000

Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes: Chanteuse for Children

August 2010

Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes
Chanteuse for Children

“I want to give back to the world, what the world has given to me.” – Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes

Born on May 27, 1971, in Philadelphia, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes was an entertainer, humanitarian and social activist best known for being a member of the famed R&B trio, “TLC.” She first discovered her love for music as a young child, and by age four, she had already learned to play the piano by ear. After relocating to Atlanta as a young adult, Lopes became involved in the city’s thriving music industry. Along with Tionne “T-Boz Watkins” and Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas, she formed TLC in 1992.

TLC went on to become the best-selling female group of all time in the United States and dominated the R&B charts in the 1990s. Lopes, recognizing her unique role as an entertainer, sought to become an agent of social change for thousands. She began routinely replacing one of the lenses of her glasses with a condom during performances—which became her trademark—in order to promote safe sex, especially among TLC’s predominantly teenage following. After spending most of the early and mid-1990s in the spotlight, Lopes spent a good portion of the late 1990s away from the public eye, instead choosing to perform humanitarian work. Following a trip to Honduras, she made it her goal to assist the nation’s impoverished people in every way she could. Many of her philanthropic projects benefitted victims of Hurricane Mitch, which struck Central America in 1997.

Tragically, Lopes died in a car accident in April 2002. When she passed away, she was in the process of fulfilling her dream of establishing a nonprofit educational and medical center on property she owned near the coastal Honduran cities of La Ceiba and Jutiapa. In her memory, the Lisa Lopes Foundation is currently dedicated to neglected and abandoned youth from low-income communities and diverse cultural backgrounds, providing them with innovative programs and resources to increase motivation and strengthen their desire to succeed in school and in life.

Woody Guthrie: Working Class Balladeer

Chris Connelly — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 21:32:15 +0000

Woody Guthrie: Working Class Balladeer

July 2010
Woody Guthrie
Working Class Balladeer

“I am out to sing songs that will prove to you that this is your world and that if it has hit you pretty hard and knocked you for a dozen loops, no matter what color, what size you are, how you are built, I am out to sing the songs that make you take pride in yourself and in your work.”― Woody Guthrie

Woodrow Wilson “Woody” Guthrie was born in Okemah, Okla., on July 14, 1912. With a love of singing and music instilled in him by his parents, Guthrie took to the road in 1931 after an oil boom — and following bust — left his family and hometown in financial ruin.

After departing for California in search of work to provide for his wife and three children, Guthrie landed a job hosting a radio show on KFVD radio in Los Angeles in 1937. Singing traditional music alongside some originals as part of his hosting duties, Guthrie quickly developed a devoted following among the thousands of relocated migrants living in California who counted on him to remind them of their shared past and experiences. While on the air, he used his radio program as an outlet for social commentary and criticism on behalf of the migrant workers that were struggling in desperate poverty. Guthrie established himself as a champion of fairness and justice, taking on corruption in all forms and advocating for union organizers fighting for the working class. In this role, he was among the first musicians to use his platform as an entertainer to become an advocate for social justice.

As a migrant himself, Guthrie identified strongly with the homeless and disenfranchised, sentiments that he ensconced in songs such as “I Ain’t Got No Home,” “Talking Dust Bowl Blues” and “Hard Traveling” — all of which sought to give a voice to the voiceless. After his affinity for the road led him to leave Los Angeles, he continued to travel and record while maintaining an affinity for social commentary. During World War II, his passionate objections to fascism led him to serve in both the Merchant Marine and the Army. While in the service, Guthrie wrote numerous anti-Hitler, pro-war songs such as “All You Fascists Are Bound to Lose” and “Talking Merchant Marine” to help boost the morale of his fellow troops. He was ultimately targeted by the anti-Communist Red Scare in the aftermath of World War II, but remained an outspoken advocate for free speech and workers’ rights until his death in 1967.

Although he rarely won awards for his music in his lifetime, Guthrie was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and honored with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000.

Celia Cruz: Diva for Democracy

Chris Connelly — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 15:26:00 +0000

Celia Cruz: Diva for Democracy

June 2010
Celia Cruz
Diva for Democracy

“Celia was an absolute pillar as a human being and one of the most unselfish humanitarians I have ever met and am sure I will ever have known.” – Marc Anthony

Internationally renowned as the “Queen of Salsa,” Celia Cruz was born in Cuba in the 1920s. Her lifelong devotion to education was instilled in her by her father, who had hoped she would become a teacher. Cruz, however, dropped out of the national teaching college as her musical talents became increasingly undeniable, instead attending the Havana National Conservancy of Music. After joining the Cuban big band La Sonoran Matancera in 1950, Cruz departed for extensive tours of North and Central America, taking her to Mexico in 1959 when Fidel Castro assumed power. Rather than return to Cuba, Cruz and her band sought asylum in the United States – leading the new Castro regime to bar her from ever returning home. Cruz became an outspoken critic of Castro, and an American citizen in 1961, going on to become one of the top selling salsa artists of all time. Releasing more than 70 albums, three GRAMMY® awards and four Latin GRAMMY® awards, Cruz rooted her music firmly in Cuban styles. With her success, Cruz became a Cuban icon – a representation of what was possible without the limitations of an oppressive regime – and used this status to give back to the Hispanic community. In 2002, Cruz and her husband founded the Celia Cruz Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising funds for underprivileged students seeking to study music, while also supporting the fight against cancer.

Marvin Gaye: Anti-War Performer

Chris Connelly — Sat, 01 May 2010 16:22:37 +0000

Marvin Gaye: Anti-War Performer

May 2010
Marvin Gaye
Anti-War Performer

“In 1969 or 1970, I began to re-evaluate my whole concept of what I wanted my music to say. I was very much affected by letters my brother was sending me from Vietnam, as well as the social situation here at home. I realized that I had to put my own fantasies behind me if I wanted to write songs that would reach the souls of people. I wanted them to take a look at what was happening in the world.” – Marvin Gaye

Though propelled to fame by hits like “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)” and “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” Marvin Gaye’s later musical endeavors made him the social justice advocate we honor today. As his fame grew in the late ‘60s, Gaye increasingly felt his songs lacked relevance in the face of the dramatic social changes occurring in the United States. After a period of self-imposed seclusion, Gaye returned with What’s Going On in 1971. The album redefined what popular music could be: thoughtful, progressive and activist, What’s Going On tackled issues of environment, police brutality and racism head on. But the album’s primary focus was the war in Vietnam, conveying a powerful anti-war message from the perspective of Gaye’s brother Frankie – a soldier who had recently returned from combat. Despite prolonged objections from his recording company, Gaye insisted the album be released as it was intended, with social messages intact. The result – the first concept recording in the United States focusing on social issues – was an enormous commercial and critical success. Today, What’s Going On continues to influence musicians and activists alike, with Rolling Stone Magazine ranking the album sixth in their 2003 cover story, “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” Gaye’s courage, commitment and passion for communicating the important issues of his day ultimately enabled other artists to follow him in crafting socially motivated music.

John Denver: Conservation Crooner

Chris Connelly — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 14:29:09 +0000

John Denver: Conservation Crooner

April 2010
John Denver
Conservation Crooner

“I’m a global citizen. I’ve created that for myself, and I don’t want to step away from it. I want to work in whatever I do…towards a world in balance, a world that creates a better quality of life for all people.” ― John Denver

Born Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr., John Denver’s devotion to songwriting was matched only by his love for his fellow man and the planet. In addition to imbuing hit songs like “Rocky Mountain High” and “Take Me Home, Country Roads” with images of environmental beauty, Denver became an outspoken advocate for progressive causes such as homelessness, poverty, global hunger and the African AIDS crisis. Following his musical successes in the 1970s, Denver founded his own environmental group, the Windstar Foundation, in 1976. He’d go on to help establish the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; serve as on-camera narrator for “In Partnership with Earth” alongside then-EPA Administrator William Reilly for Earth Day 1990; and film an episode for the Nature television series focusing on the environmental inspiration for his songs. Denver devoted equal efforts to his fellow man. He served as a member of the Presidential Commission on World and Domestic Hunger and helped found the Hunger Project, a group dedicated to ending hunger around the world. Denver also used his fame as a songwriter to serve as a cultural ambassador to the Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China, hoping to open cultural ties with the United States and promote peace. He remained a passionate progressive advocate until his death in 1997. Denver’s final song, “Yellowstone, I’m Coming Home,” was inspired by the beauty of rafting on the Colorado River.

Marian Anderson: Barrier-Breaking Contralto

Chris Connelly — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:29:19 +0000

Marian Anderson: Barrier-Breaking Contralto

March 2010
Marian Anderson
Barrier-Breaking Contralto

“When I sing, I don’t want them to see that my face is black. I don’t want them to see that my face is white. I want them to see my soul. And that is colorless.” – Marian Anderson

Born in the heart of Philadelphia, Marian Anderson rose from humble beginnings to become recognized as one of America’s premier vocalists – and used her stunning contralto to promote racial harmony. When prevented from performing at Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1939, the resulting support of President and Eleanor Roosevelt led to an open-air performance at the Lincoln Memorial. The legendary concert attracted an integrated audience of 75,000 in still segregated Washington, D.C. Anderson continued to use her vocal talent to break racial barriers throughout her life, becoming the first African-American to perform with the New York Metropolitan Opera, serving as a singing cultural ambassadress for the U.S. Department of State, and appointed a representative to the Human Rights Committee of the United Nations by President Eisenhower. Anderson remained active in the Civil Rights Movement, giving benefit concerts and performing at the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Shortly thereafter, she became one of the 31 original recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Winning countless awards, Anderson enjoyed critical and cultural successes throughout her career, until her death in 1993. The “Marian Anderson Award,” originally established in 1943 by Anderson herself as a singing competition, was re-established in 1990. After her passing, the award was reformed to recognize “Artists Whose Leadership On Behalf Of A Humanitarian Cause or Issue Benefits Society.”