October 16, 2011
Holly Near Benefit Show
Holly Near’s work in the social change community is as important as ever and her concerts are most inspiring. Holly will be performing with her long time accompanist, John Bucchino, and Grammy award nominated vocalist, percussionist, and producer, Linda Tillery.
Please note: This is Holly’s only greater-Boston show on this tour. It is a benefit for the UU Church of Marblehead. Unlike a me&thee concert, it takes place on a Sunday and starts at 3:00pm.
Holly Near is a unique combination of entertainer, teacher, and activist. An immense vocal talent, Near’s career as a singer has been defined by an unwillingness to separate her passion for music from her passion for human dignity. She is a skilled performer and an outspoken ambassador for peace who brings to the stage an integration of world consciousness, spiritual discovery, and theatricality.
Ms. Near’s historic papers are housed at Radcliffe’s Schlesinger Library and are regarded as an informative look at the last 40 years of social change movements as experienced by a singer/songwriter/activist. Near’s participation crosses over many cultures and countries. Some samples of her work in the last few years include:
- One of the “1000 Women for Peace” nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 2005
- Delivered the prestigious Ware Lecture for the Unitarian Universalist General Assembly in 2005
- Invited to sing her song “Hay Una Mujer Decaparecida” at Villa Grimaldi in Santiago, Chile. The villa, an infamous prison of torture and death, has been reclaimed by survivors and families and turned into a peace park.
- Joined Eve Ensler, Jane Fonda, Sally Fields, Christine Lahti, and noted Mexican performers in Juarez, Mexico to protest the uninvestigated killing of hundreds of young women
- Participated in a two-day discussion with Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, Harry Belafonte, and Pete Seeger that focused on political song, responsible citizenship and the effect that protest music has had on public policy
- Has received numerous awards including honors from the A.C.L.U., the National Lawyers Guild, the National Organization for Women, National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences, Ms. Magazine (Woman of the Year), the Legends of Women’s Music Award, and Impact Fund
In 1972, Holly Near was one of the first women to create an independent record company. Although unusual then, many artists now follow that path of independence. Near’s vision was to promote and produce music by politically conscious artists from around the world — a mission that Redwood Records fulfilled for nearly 20 years. Often cited as one of the founders of the “women’s music” movement, Holly not only led the way for outspoken women into the music world, but also worked for peace and multicultural consciousness.
Photo by Irene Young
- One of the remarkable things about Holly Near is not that she possesses one of the clearest, most expressive voices on the acoustic stage, but that she can marry that remarkable voice to a political message and then wrap it in a lovely melody that stays with you. Roberta B. Schwartz, Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange
