Singer-Songwriter-Activist Holly Near: I Am Open, and I Am Willing

Holly Near has had a legendary performing career spanning over 50 years, that has taken her from Hollywood to Broadway to marches and rallies and concert halls all over the world. One of the most powerful, consistent, and outspoken singers and songwriters of our time, her music elevates spirits and inspires activism. Some of the topics touched on in this lively and wide-ranging interview are her childhood on a California ranch, her life-changing experience on the Free The Army Tour during the Vietnam War, her songwriting process, her collaborations with artists such as Ronnie Gilbert and Emma’s Revolution, what it means to her to be an elder, and what she’s been up to during the pandemic. The interview is interwoven with snippets of Holly’s music from the seventies to the present.

If you enjoyed this episode, you might also enjoy my conversation with dancer/choreographer Tonya Marie Amos, titled Dance for the Revolution, or my conversation with writer/performer Herbert Sigüenza, titled Black Jesus Was the Original Fake News.