Help: Barbara Dane biography

Subject: Barbara Dane biography
From: GUEST,David Shea, Spain
Date: 13 Jun 02 - 12:10 PM

Dear Mudcat readers, I am researching a biography on the music and activism of jazz/blues and sometime folkie singer Barbara Dane. If anyone has ever worked with Barbara or has any constructive comments on her work with SingOut and Paredon, anti-Vietnam War stuff, please write me here or directly at [e-mail] or [e-mail]. Also if you know of other posting places where I might find BD fans or friends, let me know. Thanks for any comments. David Shea, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain

Subject: RE: Help: Barbara Dane biography
From: Fiolar
Date: 13 Jun 02 - 01:25 PM

Have you tried the Google search facility? There are about 1,100 hits dealing with Barbara Dane. Access www.google.com and type in "Barbara Dane" (not forgetting the inverted comas). Apologies if you have already done this. Good luck.

Subject: RE: Help: Barbara Dane biography
From: GUEST,Mary Katherine
Date: 13 Jun 02 - 02:20 PM

Have you been in touch with Barbara directly, and is this project being undertaken with her support and consent? I'm sure she can provide you with any information you need; she's a very helpful person and has a great memory! Sharp as a tack.

Subject: RE: Help: Barbara Dane biography
From: GUEST,David Shea
Date: 13 Jun 02 - 03:32 PM

Dear Katherine and Fiolar, Thanks for the interest and info. Yes, Barbara has worked with me extensively on this project both in the states and here in Spain where I am based. I have hours of oral history stuff from her and her partner Irwin Silber. I have also corresponded with a few of her Paredon artists (Bev Grant, Charlie King, Nobuko and Si Kahn) but I need more fan-based and colleague stuff. I also plan to get her FBI and CIA files through the Freedom of Information Act. Regards, David Shea

Subject: RE: Help: Barbara Dane biography
From: Mudlark
Date: 14 Jun 02 - 12:08 PM

Wish I could help with info, but I really loved her voice, and still sing 2 songs I first heard her do...Away with Rum and How Long Blues...Glad to know she's still around and that you are going to do a biography on her. Good luck.

Subject: RE: Help: Barbara Dane biography
From: GUEST,David Shea
Date: 14 Jun 02 - 06:21 PM

Dear Mudlark, Thanks for your comments. Do you have any other leads to places where I would find friends or colleagues of Barbara Dane for posting? regards, david

Subject: RE: Help: Barbara Dane biography
From: Thomas Stern
Date: 13 Apr 23 - 09:00 PM

I see that Barbara Dane's autobiography, This Bell Still Rings: My Life of Defiance and Song, was published last year:
   https://www.heydaybooks.com/catalog/this-bell-still-rings/

https://www.bluesblastmagazine.com/barbara-dane-this-bell-still-rings-my-life-of-defiance-and-song-album-review/

Looking forward to reading this.

Also in the works, a film documentary -
info on her website, as well as information and ordering
for her re-issued early albums.
   https://www.barbaradane.net/

And an early Happy Birthday Barbara Dane !!
(May 12, 1927)

Thomas.

Subject: RE: Help: Barbara Dane biography
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 12 May 23 - 09:40 AM

Today is Barbara Dane's 96th birthday. In her honor, an excerpt of one of her songs “Be Reasonable (And Demand the Impossible Now),” was played on "Democracy Now!" this morning. Amy Goodman said they were going to post a link to an archived interview with her on the Democracy Now! website, but it hasn't appeared yet. (None of today's stories have appeared yet in text form, but I believe you can see today's program.)

Here is a link to a Wikipedia article about Barbara Dane, and here is a link to her official website. YouTube has a bunch of videos.

Subject: RE: Help: Barbara Dane biography
From: Felipa
Date: 12 May 23 - 03:50 PM

as Joe Mulheron died this week, I would like to know if there was anything about "The Men of No Property" in Barbara Dane's autobiography. The group recorded on Paredon Records and some related correspondence is held in the Smithsonian Institute files.

Subject: RE: Help: Barbara Dane biography
From: Thomas Stern
Date: 13 May 23 - 10:33 PM

Smithsonian-Folkways site lists 3 albums:

1971 PAREDON P-1006

This is Free Belfast! Irish Rebel Songs of the Six Counties

1977 PAREDON P-1039

Ireland: The Final Struggle

1977 Folkways FH 5409

England's Vietnam - Irish Songs of Resistance

As with most albums, the liner notes are available

in PDF format at the Smithsonian site.

https://folkways.si.edu/search?query=men+of+no+property

MULHERON:

https://www.hotpress.com/music/tributes-paid-to-joe-mulheron-folk-singer-and-founder-of-sandinos-bar-in-derry-22967942

Subject: RE: Help: Barbara Dane biography
From: Felipa
Date: 14 May 23 - 11:15 AM

That info is easily available, Thomas, (and there is a Mudcat obit thread for Joe) but I was asking specifically about Barbara Dane's biography.

Subject: RE: Help: Barbara Dane biography
From: Thomas Stern
Date: 14 May 23 - 08:24 PM

Neither MULHERON nor MEN OF NO PORPERTY appear in the index of the autobiography.
There are a couple of pages about PAREDON records and a handful of other references to Paredonwithout specific reference to Mulheron.

Thomas.

Subject: RE: Help: Barbara Dane biography
From: Thomas Stern
Date: 09 Jun 23 - 08:37 PM

An incredible life - her autobiography should be read by everyone
who loves Barbara Dane's work as a musician and an activist.
Also for anyone interested in the folk revival, blues revival, jazz,
social movements particularly from the mid 1940's 50's 60's 70's and beyond.
Civil rights, free speech, Vietnam, Cuba. Interesting and on point comments and observations on the clubs, the industry, power of song.
performers, family and community.


Some online reviews/interviews/etc.:

Smithsonian Voices:
Singing Truth to Power
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/smithsonian-center-folklife-cultural-heritage/2021/03/08/barbara-dane-sings-truth-tower/

Democracy Now - 2018 interview
https://www.democracynow.org/2023/5/12/legendary_singer_activist_barbara_dane_turns


https://www.berkeleyside.org/2022/10/13/barbara-dane-this-bell-still-rings-my-life-of-defiance-and-song-freight-salvage

NY Times - review
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/10/arts/music/barbara-dane-paredon-records.html

Berkeleyside
https://www.berkeleyside.org/2022/10/13/barbara-dane-this-bell-still-rings-my-life-of-defiance-and-song-freight-salvage


I hope this list still has some members who know or want to know
of the pioneers.

Best wishes, Thomas.

Subject: RE: Help: Barbara Dane biography
From: Thomas Stern
Date: 25 Jun 23 - 08:17 PM

2003 NFCB Golden Reel: "Barbara Dane: A Life in Song"
http://www.jazzhotbigstep.com/33901.html


2013 A Wild Woman Sings the Blues: the Life of Barbara Dane

2-cd:
https://www.ruskinproductions.com/shop/p/a-wild-woman-sings-the-blues-the-life-and-music-of-barbara-dane

download:
https://www.ruskinproductions.com/shop/p/f3khama4tr1w7rjvoe1d7r3euu0xu4

Thomas.

Subject: RE: Help: Barbara Dane biography
From: Thomas Stern
Date: 09 Feb 24 - 07:52 PM

WBAI FM radio (NYC, Pacifica) broadcast an interview with Barbar Dane,
her daughter, and the producer of the film about Dane's life last
night. The program is archived and can be heard for a while.
A SECOND part of the interview is promised for next Thursday.

WBAI archive - Folk Radio

An excellent retrospective of her recordings with unissued material
from her archive is available from Smithsonian Folkways:
HOT JAZZZ, COOL BLUES AND HARD HITTING SONGS
Cool Blues and Hard Hitting Songs

Thomas.

Subject: RE: Help: Barbara Dane biography
From: GUEST,Jerome Clark
Date: 10 Feb 24 - 10:52 AM

Just curious, but why is Dane, according to the supplicant's opening posting, a jazz and blues but also a "folkie" singer? Why wouldn't "folk singer" do? Or is this what we can expect in the biography: respect for the jazz and blues portion of her repertoire, condescension for the "folkie" (sic) side?

If so, count me among those who won't be reading it.

Subject: RE: Help: Barbara Dane biography
From: Thomas Stern
Date: 28 May 24 - 12:42 PM

UPCOMING SCREENINGS!
The 9 Lives of Barbara Dane
Feature-length documentary. Dir. Maureen Gosling

Mendocino Film Festival
Festival Tent
Weds. May 31st, 7:30pm
Film screening will be followed by a concert tributing Barbara Dane with Holly Near, Tammy Hall and Special Guest, Pablo Menéndez, from Cuba!
        
Special Screening
Pacific Film Archive, Berkeley
Weds, June 26th, 7pm
Q&A with Maureen Gosling, Jed Riffe, and Nina Menéndez after the screening



Thomas.

Subject: RE: Help: Barbara Dane biography
From: Thomas Stern
Date: 19 Jun 24 - 03:02 PM

The 9 Lives of Barbara Dane
Feature-length documentary Dir. Maureen Gosling

Pacific Film Archive, Berkeley
Weds, June 26th, 7pm
Q&A with Maureen Gosling, Jed Riffe, and
Nina Menéndez after the screening.


Thomas.

Subject: RE: Help: Barbara Dane biography
From: Thomas Stern
Date: 27 Nov 24 - 07:44 PM

UPCOMING SCREENING!
The 9 Lives of Barbara Dane
Feature-length documentary
Dir. Maureen Gosling

BAMPFA Special Screening
Pacific Film Archive, Berkeley
Saturday, Dec. 7th, 3pm
Q&A with Maureen Gosling, Jed Riffe, and Nina Menéndez
after the screening

Watch Trailer    https://vimeo.com/815467705

Thomas.