HOLLY NEAR & RONNIE GILBERT: Lifeline Extended

Holly Near & Ronnie Gilbert

Lifeline Extended

© 2002 Calico Tracks Music (611587106629)

CD IN STOCK. ORDER NOW. Will ship immediately.

Expanded and remastered 2-CD edition of classic 1983 "Lifeline" album by these giants of women's and topical music; "A virtual history of the music of leftist folk" - All Music Guide

notes

When Holly Near and Ronnie Gilbert united for a series of concerts at San Francisco's Great American Music Hall in 1983, it was an historic intersection between two generations of fearless topical folksingers and songwriters. The collaboration between Gilbert (a former member of The Weavers) and Near (a peace activist and feminist music pioneer) sent a wave of excitement through the folk/peace/feminist circles in the US. These women voiced the work, faith, humor and complexities of the social
change movement afoot.

The weekend of shows was recorded and distilled into "Lifeline," which subsequently became one of Near's best-selling records and a milestone in contemporary folk and women's music. Reissued by Appleseed and retitled "Lifeline Extended," the original 16 songs on "Lifeline" expand into a remastered 2-CD set - 23 songs plus the inclusion of some wonderful onstage banter. The material, carefully retrieved from the deteriorating master tapes, includes Weavers' standards like "Goodnight Irene" and "Pastures of Plenty" as well as Near originals that have become anthems for the left, such as "No More Genocide" and "Singing for Our Lives." Near and Gilbert also honor other political songwriters, performing "Biko" by Sweet Honey in the Rock founder Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon; "Two Good Arms," Charlie King's song about the martyred Sacco and Vanzetti, "Kid's Song" by Ferron, and more.

In keeping with their mutual theatrical roots, Holly and Ronnie break out of any traditional definition of folk music by including a surprising and delightful array of show tunes and pop standards, including "Stormy Weather," "Come Rain or Come Shine" and "Lucky to Be Me." Ronnie performs a brilliant character piece entitled "Chairman of the Board," which, coupled with Holly's haunting version of Brecht/Weill's "Army Song" from "The Three Penny Opera," leaves the audience in a chilled, breathless silence.

Bio:

"To be a folk artist is about being part of the social change movement," Holly Near told the New York Times Magazine. Her qualifications to coin such a definition are irrefutable. Holly has spent more than 30 years as a singer, songwriter, producer, record label owner, activist, teacher and author, establishing herself as a powerful and articulate spokesperson for political and personal music.

Born in Ukiah, California, Holly started singing publicly at age 8. Her professional life began with acting roles in such movies and TV shows as "Slaughterhouse Five," "All in the Family," and "The Partridge Family," and she appeared on Broadway in "Hair."

In the early '70s, Holly chose music, particularly that which addressed the social conditions of the world community, as her main creative focus, and began to write and sing her own songs. In 1972 she launched Redwood Records, one of the first artist-owned record labels, which became a force in alternative music for the next 20 years, presenting music by politically conscious artists. In her own music, Holly kept incorporating what she was learning about the environment, feminism, gay and lesbian rights, work, and children. This pursuit of political clarity earned her "Woman of the Year" honors from Ms. Magazine,
the "Woman of Voice and Vision Award" from Scripps College, and other acknowledgements from the ACLU, the National
Lawyers Guild, the National Organization of Women and more.

To date, Holly has released over 20 recordings and guested on many others. Her strengths as a performer and songwriter have led to collaborations with such musicians as Ronnie Gilbert, Pete Seeger and Arlo Guthrie (all of whom performed with her as HARP, an acronym of their first names), Bonnie Raitt, Cris Williamson, Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, Chile's Inti-Illimani and Argentinian singer Mercedes Sosa.

Although Redwood closed its doors in the early '90s, Holly started another label, Calico Tracks. She continues to perform internationally as a musical ambassador for peace and justice, and also teaches master classes in performance craft and songwriting.

Ronnie Gilbert, a native New Yorker, was singing on the radio by the age of 12. After performing in various vocal and choral groups, she joined forces with Pete Seeger, Lee Hays and Fred Hellerman to form The Weavers in 1947. The quartet, featuring Ronnie's soaring alto, exposed their listeners in the late '40s, '50s and early '60s to traditional and recent folk songs, ranging from early "world music" ("Wimoweh," "Tzena, Tzena, Tzena," "Guantanamera") to comforting standards ("On Top of
Old Smokey," "Goodnight Irene," "Kisses Sweeter than Wine") and idealistic social comment ("This Land is Your Land," "If I Had a Hammer").

Despite the group's commercial popularity, the politically active Weavers were blacklisted during the McCarthy era, although they occasionally reunited to perform. Ronnie subsequently moved into a solo career as a singer and actress in the early '60s, recording albums and appearing in plays on and off Broadway. She then earned an M.A. in clinical psychology and worked as a therapist before returning to the theater.

Drawn out of musical retirement by longtime devotee Holly Near for the series of 1983 concerts that became "Lifeline" (now "Lifeline Extended"), Gilbert continued her partnership with Near, recording three albums for her Redwood label, including a solo release. Another solo album was released on Abbe Alice Music, a label owned by Ronnie and her partner, Donna Korones. Gilbert also wrote a one-woman theater piece based on the life of legendary labor activist Mary Harris "Mother" Jones, and co-wrote the musical play inspired by Studs Terkel's book, "Coming of Age." Ronnie still appears occasionally with Near, but her main work is as a writer/teacher/activist, participating in feminist and global peace efforts through workshops and lectures. She is also at work on her memoirs.

reviews

Please log in to review this album.

  • My favorite
    author: Lloyd

    I remember seeing them live in Washington, D.C., in 1984 or 85. This brings back good memories. I wish Holly would come back to Portland with Faith Nolan again also.

  • wow.
    author: jess_bikerider

    I expected to catch trouble for spending money, but my partner won't stop playing this CD! We sing along the ones we know, and are learning fast the remainder...

  • Terrific, very moving and spirited concert cd.
    author: lisa

    The joy that both artists feel about their collaboration is wonderfully apparent on the recording. I loved this album when it originally came out, and this expanded version offers even more to love. I've tried not singing along because their voices are so great, but it's a losing battle.

email

Please log in to email this artist.