HOLLY NEAR: Early Warnings

Holly Near

Early Warnings

© 2002 Calico Tracks Music (611587105622)

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More than a dozen tracks from two of Holly's out-of-print albums; “Near offers a survey of late-20th-century society, including musical examinations of feminism, opposition to war, child abuse and political torture.” – Dirty Linen

notes

Long before the events of September 11, 2001, reminded Americans of their vulnerable status as potential casualties of our troubled world, Holly Near was singing and writing songs about war - the battles of insensitivity and ignorance, the crimes of cruelty and suppression, the daily struggles at home and abroad. "Early Warnings" is a thematic collection of songs selected by Holly from two of her previous recordings, "Watch Out!" (1984) and "Sky Dances" (1989), which reflect on war, abuse and the indomitable spirit required to rise above these human dysfunctions.

Many of the fourteen songs on "Early Warnings" were written or co-written by Holly, who has been a pioneering musical activist for peace and human rights for almost thirty years. Both "Watch Out!" and "Sky Dances" were originally released on her much-missed Redwoods Records, one of the first independent artist-owned record labels, and have been unavailable for the past decade. The nine songs taken from "Watch Out!" are making their CD debut here. Along with four songs from "Sky Dances," "Early Warnings" also includes the version of Pete Seeger's "Quiet Early Morning" that Holly contributed to Appleseed's award-winning 1998 release, "Where Have All the Flowers Gone: The Songs of Pete Seeger, Volume 1."

As Holly describes the contents of "Early Warnings," "Most of the songs included in this reissue were written in the 1980s. Reagan was president...Fear-based thinking and fundamentalism were on the rise. There were many early warnings...and the storms just keep on coming." The song "Watch Out," from 1983, warns that "there's the rumble of war in the air," pointing a finger at the Reagan administration's militarism. In response, the political "death machine" and the religious right wing are put on notice that "the meek are ready, armed with a loving hand," on "The Meek Are Getting Ready." "War of the Flea" is about the battle of the small against the large; "Child" recounts the abuse by the large of the small. Holly's strong feminist beliefs are the basis of "She," which Holly calls "a mythological song about the rise of women in the face of oppression, "Step It Out Nancy," in which a woman rejects an arranged marriage, and "The Train Song," described by Holly as "the lament of a poor woman who can't seem to get out of her situation of bad times and hard knocks."

Not all of "Early Warnings'" songs are of confrontation. "Sky Dances," which has become a signature song for Holly, is a Native American paean to nature. "Couple of Friends" and "West Virginia Friend" are tranquil reflections on friendship, and "Sun Won't Stop" is about Holly's father, "who had a wonderful clarity about death and its inevitability." Holly's rendition of "Quiet Early Morning" ends the CD on a hymnlike note, reminding us "We can still have singing tomorrows."

Holly's strong, warm, unafraid vocals are accompanied on the songs from "Watch Out!" by the world-renowned instrumentalist John McCutcheon (dulcimer, banjo, guitar) and members of the chamber folk ensemble Trapezoid, including guitarist Paul Reisler and violinist Freyda Epstein. Musicians on the Sky Dances selections include the noted New Age bassist Michael Manring and longtime Near associate John Bucchino on piano.

"Early Warnings" is the second release from the Redwood Records archives by Holly and Appleseed Recordings, following the warmly-embraced "HARP - A Time to Sing!" an expanded 2001 2-CD reissue of 1984 live recordings featuring Holly and her fellow folk icons Arlo Guthrie, Ronnie Gilbert and Pete Seeger.

HOLLY NEAR BIOGRAPHY:

Singer, songwriter, producer, record label owner, actor, author, activist, teacher - Holly Near's interlinked careers and integrity have earned her the reputation as one of the most powerful and articulate political artists of our time.

Born to politically active parents from North Dakota and New York in the rural community of Ukiah, California, Holly grew up in an environment that combined Western sensibility and Eastern sophistication. Although she started singing publicly at age eight, Holly's professional life began in earnest with acting performances in such movies and TV shows as "Slaughterhouse Five," "Minnie and Moskowitz," "All in the Family," "The Mod Squad" and "The Partridge Family," and she appeared in "Hair" on Broadway. In the early '70s, Holly decided on music as her major focus, especially that which addressed the social conditions of the world community, and started singing and writing songs. Her strength as a performer led to creative collaborations with such artists as Ronnie Gilbert, Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, Bernice Johnson Reagon, Bonnie Raitt, Cris Williamson, Inti-Illimani and Mercedes Sosa.

In 1972, Holly founded Redwood Records, which was to become a force in alternative music for the next twenty years by recording and promoting music by politically conscious artists from around the globe. In her own music, Holly began to integrate feminism and lesbianism into her strong anti-war perspective, for which she was recognized with The Legends of Music's Women's Award in 2000. She has also been honored by the ACLU, the National Lawyers Guild, the National Organization of Women, and was named "Woman of the Year" by Ms. Magazine. She also teaches master classes in performance craft and songwriting.

To date, Holly has released more than 20 recordings and has been a guest on many others. In recent years, she has started another record label, Calico Tracks Music. Holly Near continues to perform worldwide as a musical ambassador for peace, bringing to the stage her distinctive integration of world consciousness, spiritual discovery, theatricality and an unwillingness to separate her passion for music from her passion for human dignity.

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  • Fantastic - Near's early and best songs all in one place.
    author: Bainie Wild

    I purchased this CD specifically for 2 of my favorite songs -Couple of Friends and Step it Out, Nancy. The quality of Near's voice and message in her songs on this CD reflects her passion and talent like no other.

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