Politics and Music

Johnny Cash was an early fan of Bob Dylan, but Johnny's cause was the plight of Native Americans. He did an album dedicated to the subject (Bitter Tears: Ballads Of The American Indian).

Merle Haggard is most well known by the general population for his "Okie From Muskogee". "We don't smoke marijuana in Muskogee"; I guess his good friend Willie Nelson didn't live there. ;-)

I knew a guy who did sound for The Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, California (a half hour drive south of San Francisco). A bassist I knew went to the theater to see Merle sometime in the 70's, and our soundman friend asked him if he wanted to meet Merle (well duh ;-). They went onto the band bus, and the bassist told me Merle and his band were sitting around the kitchen table, a huge mountain of blow being shared by all. I guess Merle knew America was itching for a redneck anthem, and didn't mind a little cynical cashing-in on that market. 

This topic is worth mentioning only if you live in a country ruled by dictatorships. If there is no personal risk or danger to the artist, then it does not count for much what is said or performed.

Now, imagine being a composer in Soviet Russia during the rule of Stalin. If an artist then, had the balls to write any music that didn’t meet the approval of that great music critic Stalin, it meant much more. Some did some didn’t.

Shostakovich comes to mind.

In the West, its just kids having fun upsetting their parents.

Cheers

Talking about Garth Brooks and politics, a few years ago Garth came to give a concert in Detroit.  The shows were sold out.  Garth came out in a football jersey #20 with Sanders across the back.  His fans were taken aback.  Garth is supporting Bernie Sanders in the '20 election?  There were jeers.  Both Garth and Barry Sanders went to Oklahoma State and Barry's jersey number was 20 when he played for the Lions.  Garth had to explain it to the crowd.

@rok2id the Dixie Chicks might have a thing or two to say about the matter of personal risk?