Released on May 21, 1971, Marvin Gaye’s 11th studio album What’s Going On is one of the most important albums ever released. The landmark concept album is sung from the perspective of a Vietnam War veteran returning to the USA and observing injustice and suffering. The socially conscious tunes that he composed were deeply rooted in the personal. For example, […]
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Publicity photo, photographer Jim Britt, Public Domain One of the most important protest tunes of all time, the genesis of “What Going On” happened when Four Tops vocalist Renaldo “Obie” Benson, witnessed police brutality in San Francisco in May 1969, while on tour. While stuck in traffic, Benson observed young protestors being brutally attacked by cops wearing riot gear. “The […]
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On Monday, February 8th, Mary Wilson, a founding member of The Supremes, sadly passed away at the age of 76. Along with being apart of one of the most successful vocal groups of all-time, she was also considered a style icon and activist. Billboard published her final interview, where she discusses the challenges of touring during the days of segregation. […]
Learn more →Back in the 1950s and 60s, New York’s Greenwich Village played a role in establishing the counterculture with its vibrant scene of anti-establishment beat poetry and folk music. That renegade spirit is still very much alive among a new generation of New York base protest singers and poets. This is the premise of a new documentary by acclaimed documentarian Karen […]
Learn more →In celebration of the 50th anniversary of CCR, the band released their first official music video for their 1969 protest classic “Fortunate Son”. John Fogerty composed the Vietnam War era tune as an indictment of elitism in connection with the draft. It was partly inspired by former US President Dwight Eisenhower’s grandson David, who ended up marrying then US President […]
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