Description
This episode explores the musical boundary crossings of soul artists such as Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin, as well as blues artists such as Charley Patton, Blind Gary Davis, and Son House. Other artists, including Jimmie Rodgers, J.M. Gates, and Rosetta Tharpe, are also discussed. Emphasis is on the genre ambiguity of certain performances and the musical styles of recording artists who have drawn from the sounds of "the black church" in the United States.
In this episode--part 2 of a two-part series on protest and pride--I explore the work of artists such as Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, the Staple Singers, James Brown, and others, who used music as a means of promoting racial justice and respect, often in response to the trials and triumphs of...
Published 04/23/20
In this episode, I explore the music of the Civil Rights Era, focusing on Bernice Johnson Reagon's work with the Freedom Singers and Sweet Honey in the Rock. I also discuss the contributions of activists known as the Freedom Riders, who sang freedom songs as they endured racism and violence while...
Published 04/22/20