here is the music?

Music is very personal so I never make recommendations. However, many people have expressed frustration asking, “Where is the next generation of political songwriters?” or “Why aren’t there any political singers?”. To find them one must be willing to look around, listen to people unfamiliar to the ear, take some risk.

In any given recording artists might present 15 political songs, or two. For example, in my own work, if someone heard that I was a political artist and bought Crushed: The Love Song Collection, they might feel misled. So, it is important not to make assumptions about artists. We are a wild bunch who, if we are any good at all, experiment and stretch and adventure away from any given stereotype.

Feel free to send me the name of your favorite social change artist. Criteria: They must have accessible recordings. I won’t screen suggestions, so readers you are on your own. Where is the music? It is everywhere.

In no particular order:
United States (and possibly some Canadians)
Bernice Johnson Reagon
Pete Seeger
Buffy Sainte-Marie
Nobuko
Sweet Honey in The Rock
Ulali
Toshi Reagon
Ember Swift
Pamela Means
Copper Wimmin
Ferron
Joe Jencks
emma’s revolution (Pat Humphries/Sandy O)
Wishing Chair
Nedra Johnson
Melanie deMore
Cris Williamson
John McCutcheon
Linda Tillery and The Cultural Heritage Choir
Tao Rodriguez-Seeger and The Mammals
Arlo Guthrie and family
Liche Fuentes
Rhiannon
Ronnie Gilbert
Cheryl Wheeler
Peggy Seeger
Laura Love
Deidre McCalla
Jennifer Berezan
Betty
MUSE (women’s chorus in Cincinnati, Ohio)
Peter Paul and Mary
Steve Earle
Tish Hinojosa
Larry Long
Alice Gerrard
Bill Staines
David Roth
Peter Alsop
Mary Watkins
Rafael Manriquez
Elise Witt
Betsy Rose
Gary Lapow
Gerry Tenney
Bonnie Lockhart
Jon Fromer
Tom Chapin
Guy Davis
Cosy Sharidan
Bob Franke
Dar Williams
Ani DiFranco
Eliza Gilkyson
Lowen and Navarro
The Kennedys
Keb’ Mo’
Kim and Reggie Harris
Zoe Lewis
Beverly Grant
Rosalli Sorrels
Sloan Wainwright
Tret Fure
Magpie
The Klezmatics
Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer
Faith Petric
Lil’ Rev
Greg Brown
Tom Waits
Anne Hills
Hazel Dickens
Indigo Girls
Janis Ian
Joan Baez
Kate Campbell
Libby Roderick
Jaimie Anderson
Ubaka Hill
John Trudell (spoken word)
Ellis Paul
Vance Gilbert
Christine Lavin
Catie Curtis
The Dance Brigade (no recordings but go see them!)
Leonard Cohen
Bill Steele
Jackson Browne
Judy Collins
Lucy Kaplansky
Sara Thomsen
Amy Martin
Tracy Grammer
Garnet Rogers
David Rovics
Richie Havens
Peter Donnelly
Dangerous Folk
Radio Free Earth
Linq
Mary Wheelan
Kate Long
James Durst
The Work o’ the Weavers
Ron Romanovsky
Four Bitchin’ Babes
Dave Lippman
Lynn Frances Anderson
Colleen Kattau
José “Pepo” Saavedra
Carrrie Newcomer
Neil Young
Prince Myshkins
SONiA (yes spelled like that)
Llajtasuyo
Chestnut Brothers
Kuumba Lynx
Charlie King and Karen Brandow
Francisco Herrera
Andrew McKnight
Big Wide Grin
Bruce Kunkel
Rod MacDonald
Freebo
John Batdorf
Randall Williams
Ted Warmbrand
Georges Lammam
Karl Anthony
Michael Franti and Spearhead
Girlyman
Arjuna Griest
Melissa Crabtree
Rachael Kilgour
Green and Root
Eileen Hazel
Tracy Chapman
Bill Miller
Joanne Shenandoah
Bright Eyes
Faith Nolan
Joe Glazer
Si Kahn
Fred Small
Anne Feeney
Mark Erelli
Nanci Griffith
Bonnie Raitt
John Flynn
Country Joe McDonald
Joe Uehlein
INTERNATIONAL

Just to get this list started:
Inti Illimani
Eduardo Peralta (Chile)
Ladysmith Black Mombaza (South Africa)
Youssou N’dour (Senegal)
Roy Brown (Puerto Rico)
Quilapayun (Europe/Chile)
Silvio Rodgriquez (Cuba)
Judy Small (Australia)
Tom Robinson (England)
Bruce Cockburn (Canada)
Billy Bragg (Ireland)
Eric Bogle (Australia)
Yungchen Lhamo (Tibet)
The No Shit Shirleys (Vancouver BC)
Sara Gonzales (Cuba)
Simone Shaheen (USA/Near East)
Marcel Khalife (Lebanon)
Tommy Sands (Ireland)

COMIC AND SPOKEN WORD

Kate Clinton
Lily Tomlin
Dick Gregory
Alix Olson

A SALUTE TO THOSE WHO HAVE MOVED OUT OF SIGHT, BUT NOT OUT OF MIND

Mercedes Sosa (Argentina)
Nina Simone
Woody Guthrie
Freida Epstein
Phil Ochs
Kaye Gardner
June Jordon
Ossie Davis
Marion Anderson
Lee Hayes
Victor Jara
Pablo Cassals
Pablo Naruda
Paul Robeson
Odetta
Utah Phillips
Miriam Makeba