Music is political. I don’t mean the content – though this historical moment is certainly inspiring its share of protest music. I’m referring instead to the act of creating and making it – commodified by our entertainment industry, and only possible to create and distribute if an artist’s material needs are met. In a country where neither healthcare nor housing are guaranteed, that alone is a steep order.
I’m referring to the act of going to a show. Gathering together to share space, to share air, to share purpose. There are radical possibilities for connection and action always – the lack of this potential is the airlessness we taste but can’t quite define in commercial country music.
I’m referring to the act of listening to music. In our society, particularly with the rise of singer-songwriters in the 1960s, music is an act of self-expression. What changes within us when we take others’ words and attach them to our inner lives? What perspectives can we gain when we literally take in words from people whose lived experiences differ from our own?
