People's Music Network News

8 MILLION PEOPLE PARTICIPATE IN >3000 NO KINGS DAY 3 PROTESTS

Chris "Oledude" Owens — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 14:34:07 GMT

Thank you to People's Music Network members who used their art, their voices and their bodies to express themselves all over this land -- and beyond!

COMPILATION:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5cBValKKXg

MS NOW:

https://youtu.be/xSIk0kiXfhk?si=h0W5BWQiAuHgEcln

No Spray Coalition rejects President Trump's executive order declaring glyphosate as “critical” to U.S. national security

Chris "Oledude" Owens — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Mitchel Cohen, Coordinator
No Spray Coalition
https://www.NoSpray.org
info@NoSpray.org

The No Spray Coalition rejects President Trump's executive order declaring the production and use of glyphosate as “critical” to U.S. national security.

We join with GMO/Toxin Free USA, which authored the petition below; Beyond Pesticides; Organic Consumers Association; Greenpeace; Environmental Working Group; Center for Biological Diversity; and a slew of environmental and health organizations which have been fighting against the production and use of glyphosate for decades.

Glyphosate is the main ingredient (but not the only one) in the Monsanto company's herbicide Roundup.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – who today heads the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services – was at one time a strong voice opposing FDA approval of glyphosate and other chemicals dumped into the environment. In fact, celebrating a major judicial decision six years ago where the Court ordered the Monsanto company to release tens of thousands of pages of documents the corporation had tried to keep secret, Kennedy wrote at the time “that all Monsanto’s claims about glyphosate’s safety were myths concocted by amoral propaganda and lobbying teams.

"Monsanto has been spinning its lethal yarn to everybody for years and suborning various perjuries from regulators and scientists who have all been lying in concert to American farmers, landscapers and consumers,” Kennedy continued. “It’s shocking no matter how jaded you are! These new revelations are commiserate with the documents that brought down big tobacco.”

Kennedy knows all-too-well of messages in Monsanto's internal documents indicting the corporation – now owned by Bayer – for suppressing the corporation’s own scientists who questioned the safety claims Monsanto was making, but who were either obstructed or ignored. “In one email,” reports EcoWatch, “Monsanto scientist Donna Farmer writes, ‘you cannot say that Roundup is not a carcinogen . . . we have not done the necessary testing on the [entire composite] formulation to make that statement. The testing on the formulations are not anywhere near the level of the active ingredient.’”

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was one of the plaintiffs' lawyers who secured and read the release of those documents. Today, Kennedy unconscionably endorses Trump's multi-billion dollar gifts to Big Pharma and Big Agriculture. But at the time Kennedy blasted what today would become the Trump administration's position. Kennedy now plays an integral role in sanctifying Trump's executive order regarding glyphosate.

Kennedy was far from the only one organizing against Monsanto, of course. The Bioscience Resource Project, which publishes groundbreaking and topical analyses of the science underlying food and agriculture systems in the peer-reviewed academic literature, quoted from the NY Times, “The records suggested that Monsanto had ghostwritten research that was later attributed to academics.”

Moreover, they “indicated that a senior official at the environmental Protection Agency had worked to quash a review of Roundup’s main ingredient, glyphosate, that was to have been conducted by the United States Department of Health and Human Services."

The documents show that both industry and regulators “understood the extraordinary toxicity of many chemical products and worked together to conceal this information from the public and the press.”

Dr. Jonathan Latham, executive director of the BioScience Research project, explains: “These documents ordered released by the Court are part of a tremendous trove of previously hidden chemical regulatory activity and chemical safety. What is most striking about them is their heavy focus on the activities of regulators. Time and time again regulators went to the extreme lengths of setting up secret committees, deceiving the media and the public, and covering up evidence of human exposure and human harm. These secret activities extended and increased human exposure to chemicals they knew to be toxic.”

Revelations in 2016 about the spraying of glyphosate by the Quaker Oats Company on its pre-rolled oats as a drying agent were shocking enough. Then came the discovery that 90 percent of the samples tested of “socially responsible” Ben & Jerry’s ice cream contained glyphosate and, shortly after, findings of glyphosate in leading orange juice brands provided impetus for heated global debate. And now new findings reveal that children’s vaccines as well as popular brands of wine and beer are contaminated with the cancer-causing pesticide.

A report by Carey Gillam, widely disseminated by EcoWatch, claimed that Monsanto intentionally suppressed information about the potential dangers of its Roundup herbicide and relied on corrupt U.S. regulators to cover it up. The evidence of the government’s collusion with Monsanto infuriated the jury in the case of Dewayne Johnson v. Monsanto. In the summer of 2018, it voted unanimously to award Johnson, a school groundskeeper and plaintiff, a quarter-of-a-billion dollars, much of it as part of punitive damages against the company.

Currently, thousands of people are suing Monsanto, alleging that Roundup caused them or their family members to become ill with non-Hodgkin[’s] lymphoma. The documents, which were obtained through court-ordered discovery in the litigation, are available as part of a long list of Roundup court-case documents compiled by the consumer group U.S. Right to Know.

Attorney Brent Wisner was stunned at the revelations found in the documents. “This is a look behind the curtain,” he said. “These [documents] show that Monsanto has deliberately been stopping studies that look bad for them, ghostwriting literature and engaging in a whole host of corporate malfeasance. They [Monsanto] have been telling everybody that these products are safe because regulators have said they are safe, but it turns out that Monsanto has been in bed with U.S. regulators while misleading European regulators.”

In other words, the kind of corruption that typifies the regulatory process that Kennedy had once strongly opposed.

Once again, the No Spray Coalition condemns the current acquiescence of the Secretary of Health and Human Services with the Trump administration's executive order portraying glyphosate as essential to U.S. Security interests, and thus rationalizing the U.S. government's protecting and ramping up of production of toxic pesticides.

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U.S. REPS THOMAS MASSIE & CHELLIE PINGREE SPONSOR BILL TO OVERTURN TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDER PROTECTING GLYPHOSATE AND BAYER-MONSANTO Sign this petition to your U.S. Representative (written by GMO/Toxin Free USA) to pass HR 7601, the No Immunity for Glyphosate Act tinyurl.com/NoImmunityGlyphosate

In a betrayal of all Americans, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) titled “Promoting the National Defense by Ensuring an Adequate Supply of Elemental Phosphorus and Glyphosate-Based Herbicides” on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, which instructed our federal government to protect and increase the local production of glyphosate-based herbicides, and provided Bayer-Monsanto a legal shield, immunity from pesticide-harm lawsuits. Thousands of you took part in actions that we launched the next day 1) demanding that Trump reverse his EO, and 2) urging Congress to use their authority to rescind the EO. Your voices were heard. Sign the petition to your U.S. Representative Donate to help us stop the madness A press release issued by Representatives Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Chellie Pingree (D-ME) announced a bipartisan, co-sponsored bill, HR 7601, the “No Immunity for Glyphosate Act.” The bill would rescind Trump’s EO. Specifically, HR 7601 will: Prohibit the use of federal funds to implement the Executive Order, preventing federal agencies from using appropriated funds to administer or enforce the directive; and Affirm that glyphosate manufacturers are not immune from civil liability, ensuring that manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers cannot claim immunity under the Defense Production Act, federal contractor defenses, or other federal authorities, while preserving the constitutional right of injured individuals to pursue claims under federal and state law. The bipartisan bill’s original co-sponsors also include Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA). Please take action now urging your Representative to co-sponsor and pass HR 7601. We cannot let the President’s egregious overreach stand. Taxpayer dollars must not be used to increase production of toxic, carcinogenic glyphosate-based herbicides in the United States. And Bayer should not be given immunity when its poison products cause harm. Send an email directly to your Rep with our form. You can use our pre-written comment text, but we encourage you to edit it to make it your own. Tell your Rep to pass HR7601 No Immunity for Glyphosate Act Donate to help stop Monsanto's glyphosate immunity Share the link with everyone you know who cares about their constitutional rights: tinyurl.com/NoImmunityGlyphosate

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SIDEBAR

Monsanto's genetically engineered seeds are frequenly sprayed with much greater doses of pesticides than non-GMO crops. Roundup herbicide is designed specifically to unlock the secrets engineered into its crops. As a consequence, Roundup saw sales of more than $4.7 billion in 2016, triple that of a few years earlier. In that same year, Monsanto raked in more than $12 billion in sales of its genetically engineered products.

Monsanto, in collusion with lawmakers throughout the country, pressured growers, landscapers, and municipalities to deny consumers the right to even know whether their food is genetically engineered. It has fought tooth and nail against attempts to require labeling of products containing genetically engineered ingredients. “The present-day chemical companies have manufactured a nano planet, a second unseen world. We can’t see it. We don’t notice it. But we notice the epidemic of cancer deaths. We notice our dying loved ones. We vaguely blame modern life. We continue to hesitate to defend ourselves against Monsanto and Bayer, Syngenta, Dow and DuPont, BASF, and the big Chinese outfits,” intones Rev. Billy Talen, exorcising the “Monsanto devil” at a performance with the Church of Stop Shopping outside Monsanto’s headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri.

“They are a vanishing act. Their chemicals enter the world as dark magic. The sprays and vapors and seed coatings vanish into the eco-systems, and into our bodies. Our regulators are corrupted, and we are left with the surgical strikes from Big Chem’s marketing departments, fake scientists, and bribed politicians.”

Roundup, and another pesticide, 2,4-D, have been deployed by the United States and other governments since the mid-1970s to defoliate entire forests, eradicate unwanted plants, facilitate extraction of minerals, and clear land for monocropped and pesticide-saturated export crops. In the country of Colombia, where people indigenous to the coca-growing areas have for millennia harvested coca plants as part of their culture and local economy, the U.S. government’s “war on drugs” has funded and U.S. citizens have piloted airplanes spraying massive amounts of glyphosate over the tens of thousands of acres of coca fields, part of the U.S. government’s “Plan Colombia.”

In Argentina, the same toxic brew is sprayed over miles of monocropped genetically modified soy.

The Parks Department in New York City also applies Roundup and other herbicides in public parks and sidewalks for “cosmetic reasons.” Under the spell of TV images of grassy suburban homes and Monsanto’s propaganda depicting what a happy lawn looks like, homeowners spray Roundup and 2,4-D on their lawns and gardens to kill what they deem unsightly weeds, like dandelions and crabgrass.

Neil Gentzlinger, writing in t he New York Times Book Review, points to the power of the industry’s advertising even among intelligent people who care about their children’s health and the environment: “Plenty of lawn-obsessed people read the paper, have college degrees, support the Nature Conservancy; they cannot possibly think the chemicals they dump on their grass are good for their children or wildlife or groundwater, yet they dump them anyway.”

A tiny dose of just ten micrograms of glyphosate is all that it takes to shrivel and kill a plant that has not been engineered to withstand it or has not yet grown resistant to it. The proliferation of weeds could be controlled through a variety of methods, including permaculture, crop rotation, horticulture, interspersed rows of complementary plants, friendly insects, and organic (though labor-intensive) means. But with monocropping, companion plants that repel weeds and insect “pests” are eliminated, prompting

resistance to pesticides among such “pests.” Thus, heavier and more frequent doses of pesticides are required, and we become trapped on the chemical treadmill. As a result, Monsanto is currently championing another herbicide, dicamba, because many “weeds” have grown resistant to Roundup. The company is now engineering a new wave of crops to be resistant to dicamba, in much the same way as it engineered and marketed Roundup-Ready Soy and Corn.

By 1999, agribusiness corporations (85 percent) and homeowners (15 percent) were together dumping more than 556 million pounds of toxic herbicides on U.S. farmlands each year, which often ended up in drinking water, where they exceeded federal safety levels. By 2011, total pesticide volume applied in the United States rose to 1.1 billion pounds annually.

According to the direct action group Greenpeace, which in 1997 published an early assessment of Roundup, glyphosate is one of the world’s most toxic herbicides, belonging to a family of chemicals known as organophosphates. Glyphosate can be more damaging to wild flora than many other herbicides. Aerial spraying with glyphosate, writes Greenpeace, has been detected drifting for two thousand five hundred feet beyond its intended target area, and ground spraying has been shown to damage sensitive plants up to three hundred feet away from the field sprayed.

Roundup is also deadly to fish, earthworms, insects (including those beneficial to protecting crops), birds, some mammals, and tadpoles and frogs.

To respond to some of Monsanto's misrepresentation, Roundup does not attack a plant just through glyphosate. Additional extremely toxic compounds are built into Roundup and other herbicides. “In particular most contain surfactants known as polyoxyethyleneamines (POEA). Some of these are much more toxic than glyphosate,” and can account for many of the worker-reported health effects. They are serious irritants of the respiratory tract, eyes, and skin. In addition, POEAs “are contaminated with dioxane (not dioxin), which is a suspected carcinogen.”

Greenpeace’s 1997 Glyphosate Fact Sheet was followed by several additional critical reports. In July 2000, Organic Gardening reported that glyphosate “made bean plants more susceptible to disease, and reduce[d] the growth of beneficial soil-dwelling mycorrhizal fungi. In rabbits exposed to glyphosate, sperm production was diminished by 50%,” and the herbicide has been shown to cause genetic damage to the livers and kidneys of mice.

In fact, a U.S. Geological Survey concluded that a large percentage of waterways and streams throughout the United States, including those in urban and non-farming areas, are flooded with environmentally destructive chemicals that have severe impacts on animal and aquatic life. And a 2005 study by the Centers for Disease Control found that even those living in

urban and non-farming areas in the United States now carry in their bodies dangerously high levels of pesticides and pesticide residues.

Neither the corporations nor the agencies assigned to regulate the toxic onslaught have been required to demonstrate glyphosate’s safety. The U.S. government failed to require the pesticide industry to use the “precautionary principle” throughout Roundup’s approval process, which would require corporations to submit proof that the chemicals to be released into the environment are safe for humans and animal lifeindividually and in conjunction with other chemicalsbefore allowing the pesticides to be approved. In this case, as in others, government agencies actually promoted the herbicide throughout the approval process. As a result, the companies are manufacturing new and dangerous synthetic chemicals to kill “weeds” and “pests,” substituting them for the existing pesticides as they are banned.

Given this ongoing cycle, not only do grassroots activists need to rethink strategies for ending the widespread use of toxic pesticides altogether, but condemn the current acquiescence of the Secretary of Health and Human Services with the Trump administration's executive order categorizing glyphosate as essential to U.S. Security interests.

ATTENTION! People's Music Network Anti-ICE Resolution

Chris "Oledude" Owens — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 22:00:00 GMT

The PMN Steering Committee has passed Resolution 260222A, entitled PMN ANTI-ICE RESOLUTION.

BE IT RESOLVED:

The Steering Committee of the People’s Music Network for Songs of Freedom and Struggle (“PMN”) condemns the actions of the United States Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) against the people of this nation.

For nearly 250 years, accurately and inaccurately, the United States of America has presented itself to the world as the standard bearer of individual rights and liberty. Our Declaration of Independence, for example, contains some of the most potent and consequential words in recorded history. Ironically, none of those words support the outrageous practices and horrific behavior employed by the current President of the United States and his subordinates since he has been in office.

Through DHS and its “military” arm, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”), this Commander-in-Chief of our armed forces has degraded the security of these United States and its residents. He has violated the spirit, the intent and the specific language of our nation’s Constitution – a document admired and emulated around the world – and numerous other laws. He has immorally redefined the phrase “with liberty and justice for all” to arbitrarily exclude individuals. He has unlawfully demanded violence by federal employees against U.S. citizens and residents – including lethal force – enabling ICE as a terroristic para-military organization. He has arrested, detained and deported individuals without due process. He has treated children inhumanely.

He has eviscerated the protections embedded within our federalist system and discarded the rights of individual States and municipalities. He has advocated for and supported misleading and libelous characterizations of individuals defending American civil liberties and rights. He has used federal power unethically and illegally to limit freedom of speech and assembly, and to fascistically threaten the media and individuals who exercise their “free speech” rights.

Abusers of power will always seek to control and exploit others. They use corruption and lies to advance their selfish agendas. Abusers may be called Hitler, Putin or Trump; authoritarians, Nazis or MAGA; storm troopers, the Ku Klux Klan or ICE. They are all the same. They have been and should always be overcome by courageous, freedom-loving people.

Therefore, the People’s Music Network stands with and sounds the call with our neighbors in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland, Philadelphia, Maine, New York City and any place where the abuse of power and the abandonment of decency is taking place.

We gentle, angry artists in America pledge ourselves to support the voices of the unheard and the dismissed, to protect the rights that we and our neighbors are entitled to under our Constitution, and to tell the stories of those who are sacrificing or who are being sacrificed every day in the struggle to preserve life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

We are singing for our lives and we shall overcome!

PMN MEMBER OF THE MONTH - February-March, 2026 -- JANE SAPP

Chris "Oledude" Owens — Sun, 15 Feb 2026 05:01:00 GMT

Jane Sapp: Music, Movement, and Community

A life devoted to freedom through song

By Lindsey Wilson

“Music should make a difference in people’s lives — it has to speak to the human condition.”

-- Jane Sapp

Jane Wilburn Sapp is a revered activist, musician, and educator whose life’s work is grounded in justice, faith, and the transformative power of community singing. A longtime contributor to the Highlander Folk School, Ms. Sapp has devoted decades to using music as both a spiritual practice and a tool for liberation, uplifting individuals and strengthening movements through shared song.

Community singing is not only Ms. Sapp’s passion; it is her calling. An accomplished pianist, she has taught generations of young people the beauty and purpose of communal singing, showing how one shared song can build connection, foster belonging, and strengthen collective identity. Through music, she has helped people, especially those who were silenced, find their voices and recognize their power within community.

Alongside her late husband, Hubert Sapp, Ms. Sapp co-organized the first Black Belt Folk Roots Festival in Greene County, Georgia, creating a vital cultural space that honored Black folk traditions and community expression. After her husband’s passing, she continued this work with grace and resolve, sustaining its impact through teaching, performance, and mentorship.

Ms. Sapp’s life is deeply interwoven with the Civil Rights Movement. She knew and worked alongside great leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, and remains a true soldier for justice. She has also performed at Carnegie Hall with Pete Seeger, founder of the People's Music Network.

From 2022 to 2025, Ms. Sapp served as a valued member of the PMN Steering Committee, offering wisdom, leadership, and historical grounding that strengthened the network and its mission. During PMN gatherings, she has led workshops exploring the history of Negro Spirituals and their profound influence on Black American culture, sharing music that reflects the deep gospel traditions of old while illuminating their role in resistance and healing. We are thankful for Jane Sapp's enrichment of the PMN experience for so many members.

Ms. Sapp’s work is also featured in the documentary "Someone Sang for Me", which highlights her community-based cultural development programs dedicated to helping people find their voices through the arts.

Still performing, still teaching, and still leading, Jane Sapp embodies the enduring power of music to heal hearts, expand minds, and move communities forward. As we honor her during Black History Month -- and Women's History Month -- we celebrate a PMN member living a life devoted to freedom, faith, and collective liberation through song that remains strong and true:

“…the most powerful soil for planting seeds of change is where people have a sense of community.”

-- Jane Sapp

Jane Sapp's website -- stories, songs, legacy: https://www.janesapp.org/

Jane Sapp's book: Let's Make A Better World: https://www.janesapp.org/book

PMN MEMBERS OF THE MONTH - January-February, 2026 - Joanie Calem, Eric Law, Lindsey Wilson

Chris "Oledude" Owens — Thu, 01 Jan 2026 05:01:00 GMT

JANUARY, 2026

MEMBERS OF THE MONTH

Our inaugural class consists of three PMN members who are rotating off of the PMN Steering Committee during the Winter Gathering at the end of January 2026. Their successors will be elected at a Membership Meeting during the Winter Gathering.

Thank you all for your service to PMN!

JOANIE CALEM from Columbus, Ohio, served on the PMN SC from 2021, and as Chair of the Steering Committee during 2025. She is grateful to the current Steering Committee's ability to face the challenges that come with a small non-profit organization and she looks forward to being an active PMN Member once again without the governance role.

Joanie is a musician, singer/songwriter, storyteller, disability awareness activist, community-builder, cross-cultural worker and teacher. She lived in Israel for 24 years where she started her adult life as a musician and simultaneously worked in Jewish-Arab relations building cross-cultural community work projects. In the U.S., Joanie has been teaching music and performing since 1998. She uses music to break down stereotypes, build community and foster connection.

ERIC LAW hails from Rancho Mirage, California, and has been instrumental in boosting greater inclusion of non-East Coast residents in PMN Membership activities. Eric just released his third album, MIRRORS.

Eric is an electrical engineer by training, an Episcopal priest, an author of 12 books, and the founder of the Kaleidoscope Institute for Diverse and Sustainable Communities. He has lived in different parts of the United States, and is currently focused on songwriting during his retirement and California residency.

LINDSEY WILSON currently resides in the Bronx, New York City, though she, too, has lived in different places during her journey.

Lindsey is a singer/songwriter who embraces issues of the heart and mind in her original music. She writes love songs, protest tunes, and lyrics of empowerment. Her influences include some of the great folk-pop singer songwriters of all times such as Richie Havens, Joan Armatrading, and Joni Mitchell, but Lindsey's message is all her own.

Letter of Apology: Scheduling Conflict between 2024 PMN Fall Gathering & Rosh Hashanah

Ben Grosscup — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 15:10:08 GMT

Dear PMN community,

On behalf of the Steering Committee, I want to apologize to the PMN membership for a mistake we made when we scheduled the PMN Fall Gathering at Camp Grotonwood in Gorton, MA from October 4 to October 6, 2024. October 4 is when the sacred, two-day holiday of Rosh Hashanah ends. We failed to give due consideration to the fact that the timing of the Fall Gathering prevents members who observe two full days of Rosh Hashanah from being able to travel on Friday, October 4th. We deeply regret having caused this scheduling conflict.

Our oversight has caused hurt feelings and excluded some members. We apologize for this harm. We were not mindful enough in our scheduling, and I am heart-broken about our mistake.

The Steering Committee’s decision was not deliberate. Many of our long-time members are Jewish and several on the Steering Committee are Jewish, including myself. It was a terrible oversight.

In many ways, Camp Grotonwood has been PMN's answer to our long search for an ideal camp for our overnight PMN gatherings, which are so powerful for building the community connections that we cherish as an organization. In 2024, the only weekend when the camp was available was October 4-6. Unfortunately, by the time we realized the scheduling conflict and its impact on some of our members, we found ourselves without an alternative plan.

Rosh Hashanah initiates a period of “Tshuva” - “turning” - profound reflection on the way we have hurt others, coupled with a deep wish for forgiveness and commitment to do better in the future. The Steering Committee definitely “missed the mark” in this case. I also regret my own delay in publicly acknowledging the mistake. The Steering Committee recommits to preventing scheduling conflicts of this sort in the future by ensuring careful consideration of the calendar of holidays to avoid hurting any of the members of PMN we hold so dear.

Next year, our three-day overnight camping experience, which we are calling a "Fall Gathering" this year, will go back to being a Summer Gathering as has been our tradition for decades. We already reserved Camp Grotonwood on Memorial Day Weekend, May 23-25, 2025, the same weekend when we gathered in 2023. We intend to work with Camp Grotonwood to reserve Memorial Day Weekend annually for future Summer Gatherings. We're also planning a Winter Gathering in NYC from January 24-26, 2025.

In healing and solidarity,

Erland Zygmuntowicz

Chair, PMN Steering Committee

Save the Date: July 19-21, 2024: NYC PMN Convergence

Ben Grosscup — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 03:44:10 GMT

The New York City Chapter of the People's Music Network will host an in-person gathering of musicians and activists for peace and justice on the weekend of July 19-21, 2024. It takes place at the Henry Winston Unity Hall on W 23rd Street in NYC. This is a great chance for the beloved community of PMN -- both within NYC and beyond -- to gather, to sing, to share skills and musical traditions, and to continue building a community of artists who are dedicated to using their craft in service of the urgent movements we're part of.

There will be a welcome party and hybrid concert on Friday, July 19, which will include PMN members performing remotely. We'll have a full day of workshops on Saturday, July 20 with an evening collaborative concert. On Sunday, July 21, we'll have Songs of the Spirit. Make your travel plans today! We're aiming to support members to find housing in the city, and the process for that is still getting established. Registration will be posted in early June.

How did this event come about? For many decades, long-time PMN members have gathered for a 3 day overnight music experiences around this time of year, usually at a remote summer camp location. In 2024, the timing of that gathering had to be shifted to the Fall, because the camp hosting us only had one weekend available: October 4-6, 2024 in Groton, MA. That left Summer 2024 open for an additional event, and the best date was July 19-21. The Steering Committee is grateful to members of the local Chapter in NYC for stepping up to host us again as they have done many times before. We realize this announcement is coming out later than we would prefer, but we also know that the local NYC Chapter is doing a very good job of including new artists and maintaining a vibrant musical culture with the monthly song gatherings they have been hosting since late last year. So we're confident that drawing members together in NYC will be an inspiring experience. Please consider attending!

If you'd like to get involved with workshop ideas, housing offers, and/more, please reach out! <pmn@peoplesmusic.org>

PMN to hold Fall Gathering in Groton, MA - October 4-6, 2024

Ben Grosscup — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 22:41:46 GMT

In 2024, PMN will be holding our traditional "Summer Gathering" as a Fall Gathering, taking place October 4-6, 2024 at at Camp Grotonwood in Groton MA.

In May 2023, PMN held a wonderfully successful 3 day community building event at Camp Grotonwood. It was our first time using the camp, and its facilities supported our community in coming together in a beautiful way (see videos from the event). In the months to come, expect to hear about additional plans coming together for the 2024 PMN Fall Gathering.

Looking ahead to 2025, PMN is tentatively scheduled to come back to Camp Grotonwood for Memorial Day Weekend, May 23-25, 2025.

Exciting news about PMN Winter Hybrid Convergence, Jan. 26-28, 2024

Ben Grosscup — Thu, 18 Jan 2024 20:34:34 GMT

REGISTER NOW!

We have exciting news to share about the PMN Winter Hybrid Convergence taking place in NYC and on Zoom from January 26-28, 2024 as well as a "Save the Date" for the next PMN Fall Gathering, October 4-6, 2024 in Groton, MA!

There's been great interest among PMN members making plans to come to NYC from out of town for the Winter Hybrid Convergence, taking place from January 26-28, 2024! Originally, we planned Friday and Sunday would be Zoom-only and we'd have in-person activities on Saturday, January 27 at The People's Forum on West 37th Street in Manhattan. In order to give a bigger and richer container for our musical community to grow, we've added in-person events in NYC at the Henry Winston Unity Hall on West 23rd Street on both Friday evening, January 26 and Sunday morning and afternoon, January 28.

Every year from 1982 to 2020, PMN held a major three-day Winter Gathering in the final weekend of January. Since the pandemic, PMN has been hosting multiple one-day in-person events in NYC. The added energy for in-person gatherings on Friday and Sunday at this upcoming Winter Convergence is another sign that PMN is rebuilding the pre-pandemic organizational momentum that once was regularly drawing over 200 musicians, activists and allies together for our Winter weekend events.

Meanwhile, PMN hasn't lost the momentum we built during the pandemic for our virtual events, which have been connecting PMN members all over the world. For this hybrid convergence, we're once again offering great Zoom-only workshops and song swaps as well as the option to tune into some of the workshops taking place in-person in NYC and various Zoom hang-out spaces where you can meet other PMN members around the country. Take a close look at this year's full schedule for the Winter Convergence.

On Friday, January 26, PMN Members anywhere in the world may register to perform in the Virtual Round Robin @WinterConvergence, which begins promptly at 6:30pm (ET). The additional new plan is that the PMN-NYC Local Chapter will host an in-person gathering space at Henry Winston Unity Hall (HWUH) during this same time, which includes a watch party. Doors open at 6:00pm.

Any PMN member signed up to perform in the Virtual Round Robin who comes to HWUH in person may perform from the space. Their audience will be people gathered together for the watch party as well as the larger audience watching from home on Zoom. Watch party attendees will see performances by PMN members from around the world.

Dinner will be provided at HWUH and an additional financial contribution on a sliding scale of $15-$50 from attendees is requested. We have access to a separate space for song sharing and socializing late into the night.

On Saturday, January 27, the Winter Convergence takes place all day at The People's Forum. Lunch and Dinner are provided as part of the registration fee. Following an opening ceremony, we have morning and afternoon workshops, followed by a Collaborative Performance space in the evening.

On Sunday, January 28, all Winter Convergence participants are invited back to HWUH. For the morning session, a big highlight will be Jane Sapp's Choral Workshop in which participants will be "Learning Gospel Songs of the Black Church & Freedom Songs with a Gospel Sound". There will be a simultaneous session called "Hard Hitting Song Swap." In the afternoon, we'll be holding a membership meeting that includes a presentation on how to build a local chapter of PMN, led by the PMN-NYC Chapter. There will also be a dance party. The event on Sunday is new, and we're going to create a separate registration form for it. We're still working out the details about how we will provide breakfast and lunch, and will be able to provide a suggested sliding scale for Sunday Registration, which will be a lower cost than Saturday's in-person event. Registration will also be available on site for Sunday, January 28.

If you aren't registered, just register for the in-person event on Saturday at The People's Forum, and know there will also be an opportunity to register for Sunday if you can make it. And do it today if you can. Registrations received by tonight Saturday, January 13, 2024 at 11:59 PM, receive a $5 discount.

Housing: If you live in NYC and you are able to offer housing on January 26 and 27, OR if you are coming to NYC from our of town for this event and you need a place to stay, please reach out to our housing coordinators: Erland Zygmuntowicz <erlandzyg3@gmail.com> and Dave Tarlo <davsong211@hotmail.com>. We are trying to support our community in participating in the convergence all weekend long.

PMN Signs on to Letter opposing the New McCarthyism

Ben Grosscup — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 22:49:16 GMT

The Steering Committee of the People's Music Network for Songs of Freedom and Struggle unanimously signed a letter, "McCarthyism Is Back: Together We Can Stop It", which excoriates The New York Times (NYT) for "McCarthy-like attacks against individuals and organizations criticizing US foreign policy." The Times recently published a piece, unfairly targeting organizations including CODEPINK, Tricontinental Institute, and The People’s Forum. Since 2019, The People’s Forum has hosted multiple PMN-sponsored events. The People’s Forum will also host the upcoming PMN Fall Hybrid Convergence, taking place in person on Saturday, October 28, 2023 and on Zoom from October 27-29.

The Times is engaging in a political witch hunt, making baseless insinuations about peace activists who oppose a New Cold War with China but who have committed no crimes. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) is now amplifying these insinuations, citing the Times article in a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, pushing the Justice Department to investigate the organizations targeted by the Times. The People’s Music Network stands against this witch hunt, which fosters a climate of fear about anyone connected to China and produces a chilling effect on US citizens who oppose their government’s policy toward China. This article by Caitlin Johnstone summarizes the issues at stake here and links to documents referenced above.

Moreover, the People’s Music Network stands with The People's Forum, which has provided PMN with a beautiful and accessible event space, nutritious meals, and a supportive technical staff for four major events in October 2019, January 2020, October 2022 and February 2023.

TPF has helped enable our membership to foster a welcoming and open community where members have engaged in open political dialog and collaborative musical performances that address today's urgent social justice struggles. When friends in the movement who support us in pursuing our mission come under such scurrilous attack by such a powerful media organization, we stand proudly with them.

- PMN Steering Committee

August 22, 2023

PMN Co-hosts Songs of Hope Songs of Change Showcase at Folk Alliance

Ben Grosscup — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 03:35:03 GMT

On February 5, 2023, People's Music Network and Music to Life co-hosted a special showcase called "Songs of Hope and Change." The live event was the closing showcase at the Folk Alliance International Conference in Kansas City.

The video includes performances by social justice artists from all over the world including: Rebecca Folsom, Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer, Seth Walker, Phyllis Sinclair, Chuck McDermott, Ben Grosscup, Kamica King, Robinson & Rohe, Ernest Aines, Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light, Siena Christie, Ken Whiteley, Brant Miller, Savannah Brister, and Luci Murphy.

People's Music Network on Northern Spirit Radio

Ben Grosscup — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 16:33:29 GMT

On March 11, Northern Spirit Radio producer, Mark Helpsmeet, created an hour-long radio program presenting a sampling of songs from the PMN Winter Hybrid Convergence in NYC from February 10-12, 2023. His syndicated program regularly features music of peace and social justice. Check out the episode program here: https://www.northernspiritradio.org/song-soul/peoples-convergence-warming-winter

Call for Participation: People's Music Network Fall Convergence

Ben Grosscup — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 22:09:36 GMT

The People’s Music Network Hybrid Fall Convergence, taking place October 21-22, 2022 (Friday and Saturday) at The People’s Forum in New York City, and around the world via Zoom, will create a unique encounter between artists and activists. Workshop offerings will be divided in two tracks:

The Movement Track relates our music to specific struggles confronting systemic injustice.
The Traditions And Skills Track explores where People’s Music comes from and how artists make it today.

We’re seeking collaborators to help hold a space for members of our network to be heard and to inspire one another. If you’re interested in helping us to organize, please write to <convergence@peoplesmusic.org>. Your message will be immediately forwarded to the Workshop Committee (Erland Zygmuntowicz, Ben Bath, and Ben Grosscup).

Registration for the Convergence will be open soon. Stay tuned and save the date!

GET INVOLVED WITH THE MOVEMENT TRACK!

The Movement Track of the PMN Fall Convergence will relate the music of PMN-affiliated artists to the urgency of our current political moment. We identified six major peace and justice struggles to highlight:

Demanding justice and speaking truth in the face of the climate crisis.
Confronting racism and police violence.
Defending abortion rights.
Abolishing nuclear weapons, resisting U.S. military aggression, & ending militarism.
Organizing workers on the job.
Defending people’s democracy.

Movement Track workshops will foster artistic and political collaboration among participants, create a space of political common ground through music, and lift up the craft of song as a social movement organizing tool. Our goals are: 1) advance a strategic dialog about the use of music in movement spaces; 2) promote future collaborations between artists and activists outside the convergence; and 3) strengthen community ties and mutual awareness among attending artists.

We have the capacity to create hybrid workshops involving people physically present at the People’s Forum AND participants attending via Zoom.

When reaching out to us, please speak to the following questions:

Do you have music relevant to one of the six topics above? Which?
Do you wish to help facilitate a workshop coalescing music on one or more topics?
Can you tell us about facilitation skills and/or relevant contacts you can draw upon in shaping sessions around each topic area?
Are you an activist currently engaged in organizing around any of these struggles?

GET INVOLVED IN THE TRADITIONS AND SKILLS TRACK!

People’s Music is defined not only by its relation to specific political struggles, but also by its rootedness in the cultural traditions from which today’s songs emerge as well as the skills to make songs and have them heard. We’re seeking Traditions and Skills workshops for both the in person program at The People’s Forum in NYC and our online-only program. Here’s some common topic areas we’re interested to see proposals for:

Creative Process: Inspiration to develop new creative work and instruction on vocal, instrumental, and/or performance technique.
Group Singing: Singing together in traditional performance settings and street protests.
Music in the Movement: Knowledge, experiences, and strategies to make music more vibrant in today’s social justice struggles and in society at large.
Music Promotion: The business end of being an independent working musician, with a focus on promoting music with a peace and social justice message.
Musical Traditions of Struggle: Understanding the cultural and political history of specific traditions of music that support people struggling for freedom.

Please reach out to us using the email above if you're interested in helping us to organize a workshop session in one of these areas!

JOIN US!

We are excited to reconvene our network in person at The People’s Forum (320 West 37th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues) New York, NY) while also including people who can’t be present physically. Music has an essential role to play in this critical time in world history. Join us!

SAVE THE DATE: PMN Fall Hybrid Convergence in NYC, Oct 21-22

Ben Grosscup — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 02:33:58 GMT

The People’s Music Network (PMN) will host our first ever hybrid activist music convergence from October 21-22, 2022 (Friday and Saturday) in New York City and around the world via Zoom. This will be the first in person gathering of the People's Music Network since January 2020, and we are very excited about it!

The hybrid convergence will facilitate an encounter between artists using music to build social and political consciousness and activist leaders in urgent struggles for liberation and justice. We’re combining the best in PMN’s long history of musical networking gatherings with the best of our virtual events.

We will meet in person at The People's Forum -- 320 West 37th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues) New York, NY. On Friday, October 21, 6:00-9:00pm (ET), we will host a Round Robin open mic, featuring performances by attendees. Starting at 9:00pm (ET), we will shift to hosting a Virtual Round Robin where PMN members anywhere in the world are eligible to perform. During the day on Saturday, there will be simultaneous workshop sessions. The event culminates Saturday night with a special concert arising from our in-person participants. We’re aiming to foster participation and collaboration while presenting music that speaks to the issues of the day. Lunch and dinner will be served throughout the event by the in-house cafe at The People's Forum.

In addition to performing in the Virtual Round Robin starting at 9:00pm (ET) on Friday, during the day on Saturday, Virtual Convergence participants will be able to join online workshops taking place entirely on Zoom. Some of the workshops in NYC will be open to remote participation via live video feed, thanks to help from our livestream tech team in NYC.

We’re now curating workshop proposals for both for the event in NYC and for the virtual workshops. Please reach out to Ben Grosscup <ben.grosscup@peoplesmusic.org> if you’d like to contribute your creative energies and talents as activists and artists.

PMN's Tribute to Leon Rosselson, reviewed by Colin Randall

Ben Grosscup — Thu, 30 Jun 2022 20:34:56 GMT

Colin Randall – a journalist who previously worked for The Daily Telegraph in the UK – reviewed, "Turning Silence Into Song: The Music of Leon Rosselson," an online concert hosted and produced by the People's Music Network for Songs of Freedom and Struggle.

The concert celebrated Rosselson’s lifetime of work, featuring an international lineup of musical luminaries -- including Leon himself -- singing his songs and reflecting on how his music has made a difference in struggles for justice and peace. Randall, who has been writing about the songwriting career of Leon Rosselson for over 30 years, wrote in his review: "I enjoyed every song and every spoken memory."

He encouraged online audiences to “share [in] my joy at the exceptional renditions of Rosselson's songs by Billy Bragg, Nancy Kerr (who also co-comperes exquisitely), Janet Russell, Martin Simpson, Nancy's mum Sandra, Elijah Wald, Chris Foster, Robb Johnson and, crikey, many more. Despite life-threatening ill health, our hero contributes “My Father's Jewish World”, a treasure of a song that might have brought expulsion had he belonged to today's Labour Party.”

Read the review and find a link to the full concert here: https://www.salutlive.com/2022/06/turning-silence-into-song-a-covid-age-tribute-to-the-towering-songwriting-talents-of-leon-rosselson.html

People's Music Network Featured in Billboard Magazine!

Ben Grosscup — Sat, 27 Jun 2020 19:12:11 GMT

On June 26, 2020 Billboard Magazine published an article on the People's Music Network, our history, and how we have been responding to the pandemic. It includes in depth interviews with PMN Steering Committee Member, Luci Murphy, and the host of tonight's Hip Hop Livestream (more on that below), Dilson Hernandez.

The article gives a pretty honest portrayal of how PMN is working to develop music as a tool for social change and also touches on some of the long-term issues our organization has struggled with, especially the role of the musician as a servant of the people as well as building a more racially diverse membership. Give this a read!

https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/features/9410055/peoples-music-network-songs-protests-luci-murphy

PMN Hosts First Ever Extended Weekend Virtual PMN Convergence

Ben Grosscup — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 19:01:19 GMT

From June 11-15, 2020, the People's Music Network hosted an extended weekend of music, socializing, and community discussion.

The program included a number of public events that were livestreamed:

Thursday night livestreamed “PMN Summer Concert”
Saturday night livestreamed “Round Robin” where members pre-register to get a chance to perform;

We also hosted some PMN Member-only events such as:

Friday and Saturday afternoon “Schmooze Rooms” where members got to know other members;
Sunday morning “Songs of the Spirit” where the community will sing together despite the distance between us;
Sunday afternoon "Membership Meeting" where the community will discuss PMN’s future;
And Monday night workshop where members will learn ways to get involved in PMN's ongoing efforts at "Building Online Musical Community".

PMN Condemn Ongoing Racist Police Violence and Political Repression

Ben Grosscup — Tue, 09 Jun 2020 23:30:14 GMT

6/9/2020: From PMN/SFS Steering Committee: The People's Music Network for Songs of Freedom and Struggle stands in solidarity with movements demanding justice for Black people and all communities of color. We condemn ongoing racist police violence and political repression. PMN's mission is to sustain and grow a diverse community of performing artists, activists, and allies who use music, poetry, and other art forms as catalysts for a just and peaceful world. We pledge to mobilize PMN members to amplify these movements’ messages through music, to highlight artists of color within our Network, and to recommit ourselves to building movements for racial justice.

PMN hosts weekly online programs that advance our mission, including online song and poetry swaps, educational workshops, and other participatory activities. See below for Upcoming Online Events.

Strengthening the People’s Music Network during the Pandemic

Ben Grosscup — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 04:19:53 GMT

How can the transformative power of music lift up people’s spirits and inspire movements for justice in the face of a global pandemic?

The People’s Music Network annual Summer Gathering is scheduled from June 12-14, 2020 at the Woolman Hill Retreat Center in Deerfield, MA. Large groups singing together face-to-face is what makes PMN Gatherings so exciting and inspiring. During this particular pandemic, it also endangers people’s health.

PMN is considering how to move forward in this crisis, with our mission in mind: sustaining and growing a diverse community of performing artists, activists and allies that uses music, poetry, and other forms of cultural work as catalysts for a just and peaceful world. As we assess our options, the PMN Steering Committee will continue to communicate with our members about our decision making for this year’s Summer Gathering.

For decades, PMN has sustained our community primarily by hosting major gatherings. In recent years, we’ve also developed ideas for programs to sustain our community through online platforms. In response to this crisis, we’re reviving our exploration of how these ideas can help us fulfill our mission right now. Confronting this challenge is new for PMN and just about everyone else, but we have the capacity to work together, learn, and develop new strategies.

Your Input is Needed

We're interested in collaborating with our PMN community to maintain and strengthen the network even while many of us maintain physical distance from groups to protect ourselves and others. Here are additional activities we think PMN could focus on during this period, especially with the engagement of a focused team of volunteers:

Song Contest for new social justice songs, each with a topical focus.
Songwriting prompt followed by sharing what we write.
Compiling a list of PMN members who are holding online concerts and collaborating with other organizations to promote them. One new resource is: www.stayathomefest.com
Webinar: How independent working musicians can earn a living in a pandemic. One new resource is: www.covid19freelanceartistresource.wordpress.com
Webinar: Tips and Tricks for Home Audio Recording.

What are your ideas for how the People’s Music Network can strengthen our community while making music for social change during this pandemic? Please write to us at pmn@peoplesmusic.org with your own ideas and how you could help organize these or other types of activities.

Signed in song and solidarity,

Ben Grosscup, Executive Director
Tobie Hoffman, President
Charlie King, Treasurer

PMN Winter Convergence Workshop Program is Posted!

Ben Grosscup — Mon, 20 Jan 2020 04:19:06 GMT

Check out the full workshop program for the People's Music Network Winter Convergence in NYC from Jan 24-26, 2020: https://www.peoplesmusic.org/Winter-Gathering-Workshops

PMN Builds on Successful Fall Event for the NYC 2020 Winter Convergence

Ben Grosscup — Wed, 11 Dec 2019 21:10:23 GMT

This story features images from the event courtesy of Bev Grant and Jeremy Aaron.

  If you were with us on October 20 for the one-day PMN Fall Convergence at the People’s Forum in NYC, you know what a success it was! We had 100 registered participants for this one-day local event -- one of the most diverse in PMN’s recent history (See the livestream of the open mic here).

  The same creative and dynamic NYC Local Organizing Committee that hosted the 2019 Fall Convergence is now busy planning the 2020 PMN Winter Convergence -- a full weekend of musical inspiration at two locations in NYC from January 24-26, 2020 that will draw hundreds of participants from around the Northeast U.S. and beyond.

Why Call it a “Convergence”?
  For years PMN has held Gatherings: weekend-long events with music rooted in struggles for justice and peace. The NYC Organizing Committee believes that in this moment of global crisis, the role of the People’s Music Network is to help our members join forces -- both musically and politically -- to help inspire and encourage the movements we are part of. In response, The organizing committee is creating a number of workshop tracks in order to bring together different communities of activist musicians with whom PMN is building ever stronger alliances:

Activist Choral Music
Hip Hop
Latin Music and Nueva Cancion

The elements that many members have come to love about past PMN Gatherings -- the eclectic Friday night concert; song swaps; jamming; Round Robin; skill sharing; songwriting workshops; shared meals; homestay placements in NYC; Songs of the Spirit; and, we hope, you -- will all be part of this Winter Convergence.

PMN Winter Convergence:
Musical Collaboration for Global Justice
@two different locations in NYC
January 24-26, 2020
Early Registration opens December 12, 2019.

Friday, Jan. 24: A Concert Bridging Different Generations of Struggle, Musical Styles, and Communities
The People's Forum -- 320 West 37th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues), NYC
The show will feature musical performances by the Sing in Solidarity Chorus, Mario Cancel, Jendog Lonewolf, their artistic collaborators, and others.

Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 25-26: Workshops and Song Sharing
Central Park East II School -- 433 East 100th Street, NYC
We are delighted to be back at Central Park East II for the second year in a row! The Saturday workshop program will highlight the distinctiveness of particular musical forms and traditions. The evening Round Robin will draw shine to the individual talents and contributions of our diverse community. The Sunday morning Sessions will offer different ways for the community to integrate distinct musical forms into a louder, more united, and more powerful cultural force.

*** Propose a Workshop
To propose a specific workshop for this upcoming Convergence, consider these Guidelines. Then you can fill out this Workshop Proposal Form. Deadline for workshop proposals is December 15, 2019.

PMN Winter Gathering planned for January 24-26, 2020 in NYC

Ben Grosscup — Tue, 18 Jun 2019 20:38:58 GMT

The 2020 People’s Music Network Winter Gathering will take place in New York City from January 24-26, 2020. It includes:

Music to inspire dreams for a better world.
Traditions that strengthen social justice struggles.
A community where singers, listeners, songwriters, fans, are welcome in a common space.

The location for the PMN Friday Night Concert, starting at 7:30pm on January 24, 2020, is yet to be announced.

On Saturday and Sunday (January 25 & 26, 2020) at Central Park East II in East Harlem (enter from First Avenue and East 101st Street), we’ll have participatory workshops and song swaps, mentoring sessions, and a Saturday night Round Robin – all highlighting the role of music in progressive social change. A specific track of workshops for youth called the Youth Creative Convergence will take place parallel to the adult workshop. Expect numerous opportunities to share music, sing together, and to join efforts to bring music for progressive social change into the heart of struggles for justice and freedom today.

Pete Seeger Memorial Events to Take Place Across U.S.

Ben Grosscup — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 00:50:40 GMT

This year is the 100th anniversary of Pete Seeger’s birth. Pete was born on May 3, 1919, in New York City. He died on Jan. 27, 2014. Pete and Toshi made a huge impact on our world - working tirelessly together for peace, justice, and the earth. At age 19 Pete dropped out of Harvard and began using music to work for change and he never looked back.

A series of concerts taking place all over the United States will celebrate Pete’s life and inspire audiences to continue carrying on this important work! Find an up to date event listing compiled by Peter Blood at https://www.riseupandsing.org/seeger/100th/events

Watch Round Robin and Concert Videos from WG2019!

Ben Grosscup — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 00:16:20 GMT

The video recordings from the performances at the January 25, 2019 Friday evening Concert and the January 26, 2019 Round Robin are posted online!

Watch the videos here.

Special thanks to Jasper Lapienski who organized the video recording and did the editing and cataloging work! Thank also to the volunteers who ran the video equipment and gathered the information about each performance.

PMN Announces Plans for Summer 2019

Ben Grosscup — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 00:15:03 GMT

They say every dilemma is an opportunity, so we’re writing you about a great opportunity growing out of a dilemma concerning PMN's plans for a Summer Gathering in 2019.

The dilemma, simply put: we have no viable site for a Summer Gathering in 2019. Every site we approached (mostly camps in rural places) was either unsuitable, unavailable or unaffordable. We are already looking to solve this issue for Summer 2020, and developing new leadership to make that happen.

The opportunity was suggested by one of our members at the last summer gathering. Why not join forces with other organizations doing the same work we do? The first organization that came to mind will be familiar to many of you.

The Labor Heritage Foundation (LHF) sponsors an annual summer gathering each June, The Great Labor Arts Exchange (GLAE). It has been going for as long as PMN has. It is organized by several of our members and attended by many of our members. Last June it was the site for the annual retreat of the American Federation of Musicians Local 1000, again an organization many of our members belong to. We’ve been in touch with LHF Director (and former PMN Steering Committee member) Elise Bryant. She is excited to have PMN be a part of their 2019 summer gathering.

We can look forward to: bringing our songs to their multiple round robin "arts exchanges"; presenting panels or workshops as we have at our usual summer gatherings; sponsoring one of the various song contests (voted on by attendees with cash prizes offered); convening breakout sessions for PMNers and any interested in joining us. And after GLAE ends with a breakfast feedback session on Sunday the 23rd a session all our own could be a welcome send off.

The dates for GLAE are June 20 -23 (Thursday to Sunday) in Silver Spring MD, just outside of Washington DC. It’s held at the Tommy Douglas Conference Center with great facilities for plenaries and breakouts. The Center offers private rooms and meals and LHF can help arrange home stays and indicate alternate dining sites for tighter budgets. Registration details will be sent out soon. We will be sharing more information at the Winter Gathering.

GLAE will bring us together with activists in the labor movement and with a diverse array of cultural workers - singers, rappers, poets, writers and visual artists. All the arts are focused on creating progressive change. We have a lot to offer each other.

So mark your calendars and join us as we join The Great Labor Arts Exchange for a mutual summer gathering! Read more about the Great Labor Arts Exchange here: https://www.laborheritage.org/great-labor-arts-exchange-2019/

- The PMN Steering Committee

New Greenfield Song Swap Brings the Music Home

Ben Grosscup — Thu, 28 Feb 2019 02:46:38 GMT

By Jasper Lapienski

As the last of 25 participants in the first Freedom & Struggle Song Swap arrived on Saturday, February 23, 2019, Charlie King -- 2018 PMN Artist-in-Residence and host of this month's swap -- asked us to move our chairs back to accommodate everyone.

The new, monthly song swap in Greenfield is co-sponsored by Dance Spree, a community group that I lead which hosts weekly freestyle boogies as well as workshops and other community events, such as a debate of candidates for statewide offices who belong to parties that are are excluded from the two party duopoly. The song Swap has two main objectives: to bring home the singing of freedom songs, and to bring singers and dancers into contact with one another, encouraging crossover between the groups.

The evening included a whole lot of Pete Seeger songs, and thanks to a loan of songbooks from Peter Blood & Annie Patterson, everyone was able to sing along. Attendees included Ben Grosscup, PMN executive director; Storm, Steering Committee member; and Rob Peck, MC of the 2018 summer concert.

To be held on the 4th Saturday of every month, the song swap takes place at The Episcopal Church of St James & Andrew in downtown Greenfield, leading up to and into that night's freestyle dance. We hope you'll join us for both the singing and the dancing, month after month!

For more info on the song swap go to www.peoplesmusic.org/events - more on the dance go to www.dancespree.org

Upcoming swaps: March 23 with Michael Nix; April 27 with Ben Grosscup; May 25 - still seeking facilitator.

2019 Winter Gathering Workshop Program is Posted!

Ben Grosscup — Fri, 18 Jan 2019 09:16:48 GMT

Check out the workshop program for the 2019 PMN Winter Gathering in NYC on January 26 and 27! Workshop presenters and facilitators are putting on a program that represents PMN's diversity and that engages participants in the transformative power of music!

Read two ways!

1.Workshop Grid (1 Page)

2.Workshop Descriptions (9 pages)

Report on PMN Fundraiser at Towne Crier , 10-21-18

Ben Grosscup — Fri, 02 Nov 2018 19:45:37 GMT

WRITTEN BY PAT LAMANNA

On Sunday, October 21, 2018 the Hudson Valley Contingent of PMN held a fundraiser at the iconic music venue, The Towne Crier, in Beacon, N.Y. We were fortunate to get Hudson Valley Sally (Laurie Siegel, David Tarlo, John Fisher and Terry Cotillon); Dilson Hernandez, who will appear in the Friday concert at the PMN Winter Concert on January 25, 2019 in New York City; and Joshua Garcia. I was the opening act. Everyone put on a great performance. The show concluded with the performers singing “If I Had a Hammer” along with the audience.

About two dozen people showed up for all or part of the show. They were an enthusiastic, listening crowd and they enjoyed all the performers. Most had not heard of PMN, so it also raised their awareness. A couple expressed interest in the Winter Gathering, so we may see them again! Phil Ciganer, the proprietor of the Towne Crier, was impressed by the talent. He asked me for contact info for Joshua and Dilson.

The event raised $269! Putting this concert together was enjoyable and rewarding all around. I recommend that others do it, to raise money for, and awareness of, PMN, and to have a great time!

Workshop program posted for 2018 PMN Summer Gathering!

Ben Grosscup — Thu, 10 May 2018 05:42:59 GMT

Workshop Proggram (New!)

The 2018 PMN Summer Gathering workshops take place at Camp Kinderland in Tolland, MA on Saturday and Sunday as part of a 3 day weekend from June 1-3, 2018. More at the workshop page.

Read the program in two ways:
Workshop Grid (1 Page)
Full Descriptions ( Pages)

New Monthly PMN Song Swap in Northampton, MA

Tom Smith — Sun, 11 Feb 2018 13:16:54 GMT

PMN hosts a song swap on the 3rd Sunday of each month at Iconica Social Club, located in the parking lot behind Haymarket Cafe in downtown Northampton, MA. Contact Jasper Lapienski via e-mail or phone (413) 658-7011 if you have questions or are interested in attending. All are welcome!

Each month's event is hosted by a PMN member or affiliated musician, with an accompanying theme (e.g., immigration, war & peace, etc.) There is no cover charge, although participants are encouraged to purchase homemade juices and pastries from Iconica. The format is an informal sharing and will develop to match the interests of those who participate. All music genres and spoken word are welcome.

Updated Workshop List for 2018 Winter Gathering!

Ben Grosscup — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 01:11:21 GMT

The workshop list for the 2018 PMN Winter Gathering in Boston (Jan 26-28, 2018) is posted! We have 28 engaging and participatory workshops led by a talented, inspired, and diverse group of workshop leaders. Read about the many workshops that are happening here.

Twelve Performances from PMN's Social Justice Songs Showcase

Ben Grosscup — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 13:00:00 GMT

Watch all 12 Performances on youtube!

Last month People's Music Network sponsored the PMN Social Songs Showcase at the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance, featuring 12 different acts, each performing original and timely songs that speak to issues of class oppression, US military domination, racism, the rights of immigrants and refugees, the distortions of political thought today, and hope for a better world.

Singout! Article "Busy Times for People’s Music Network"

Ron Olesko (host of "Traditions" on WFDU) was one of the judges. He wrote an article for Singout! that describes this particular showcase, the strengths of the songs, and the thinking of the panel of judges, which also included Jane Fallon (Award winning songwriter & author) and Ron Cooke (host of "Music They Don't Want You to Hear" on KTAL).

The 12 Songs on a Soundcloud Playlist

Crys Matthews, "Battle Hymn for an Army of Lovers"
David Roth, "Home of the Brave"
Banjo Nickaru & Western Scooches, "Get Us Out Of Fear Land"
Emma's Revolution , "Still Here"
Chris LaVancher, "Nostalgia"
Bev Grant, "I Am A Sewing Machine"
Mark Kilianski, "The Blue Sky Ain't No Friend Of Mine"
Eleanor Kleiner, "Fat Cat"
Dave Richardson, "We Got A Boat"
Bethlehem and Sad Patrick, "Mother of Exiles"
Mike Glick, "We Shall Be Free"
Judy Kass, "Look at us Marching Now"

People's Music Network would like to give a huge thank you to JB Nuttle from World One Video for providing videography services for this showcase! Thanks also to the judges, and to the 45 NERFA attendees who made song submissions for this showcase!

Charlie King Wins 2017 Phil Ochs Award

Tom Smith — Sat, 04 Nov 2017 18:03:08 GMT

Congratulations Charlie!

Charlie King, founding PMN member and Artist in Residence at the upcoming PMN Winter Gathering in Boston is the winner of the Phil Ochs Award for 2017. The criteria includes:

accomplished songwriter & compelling performer
grounded in the folk tradition (Woody, Pete, Ronnie, Leadbelly, Buffy, Phil et al)
advances the spirit of Phil's music and activism
demonstrates a commitment to social justice and community engagement

Here is a article from A Still Small Voice with more information. You can learn more about Charlie at his website.

Charlie King, Winner of the 2017 Phil Ochs Award.

ANNOUNCING: The 2018 PMN Winter Gathering in Boston

Tom Smith — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 17:58:31 GMT

(Update 11/25/17: Complete and up-to-date details available at Winter Gathering Overview.)

People’s Music Network for Songs of Freedom and Struggle invites you to be part of our 2018 PMN Winter Gathering at two venues (in Cambridge & Brookline, MA) from January 26-28, 2018.

ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE ANNOUNCED!

Charlie King and Rick Burkhardt will be PMN Artists-in-Residence for the 2017 PMN Winter Gathering! Charlie is a musical storyteller and political satirist, hailed by Pete Seeger as “One of the finest singers and songwriters of our time.” He is recipient of the 2017 Phil Ochs Award. Rick is is an Obie-award-winning playwright, performer, composer, and songwriter/accordionist for the Prince Myshkins, a political cabaret folk duo.

FRIDAY NIGHT CONCERT -- Cambridge, MA

The PMN Friday Night Concert takes place at the First Parish in Cambridge, starting at 7:30pm on January 26, 2018, which will feature PMN Artists in Residence, Charlie King and Rick Burkhardt. Other confirmed performers (so far) include Reggie Gibson, Sol Y Canto, and Windborne Singers. Concert goers are invited to come early to rehearse for a huge PMN Pick-up chorus! Details to be released soon!

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY GATHERING - Brookline, MA

On Saturday and Sunday (January 27 & 28, 2018) at the Pierce School in Brookline, we’ll have participatory workshops and songswaps; mentoring sessions; and a Saturday night “Round Robin” – all highlighting the role of music in progressive social change. The Youth Creative Convergence will take place parallel to the adult workshops. Expect opportunities to share music, sing together, build networks, and to join efforts to bring music for progressive social change into the heart of struggles for justice and freedom today.

CALL FOR WORKSHOP PROPOSALS – DEADLINE: DECEMBER 1, 2017

Do you want to lead a workshop session as part of this exciting and inspirational weekend? Workshops at PMN are led by gathering participants. We invite you to get involved in shaping the weekend by putting forth your ideas. Propose a workshop or workshop topic you want to see included in the Gathering. Ben Grosscup (ben.grosscup@peoplesmusic.org) is organizing the adult workshop program. Learn how to submit a workshop proposal.

YOUTH CREATIVE CONVERGENCE

The Youth Creative Convergence (YCC) is back at PMN for the second year in a row! The program will include childcare and activities for ages 3-12, plus a series of workshops specifically designed to inspire and equip teens in a variety of creative endeavors (roughly ages 13-17). We're excited to engage kids and youth with elements of people’s history, interactive projects, creative challenges, games, and collaborations with elders. Jayme Winnell (PurpleJayme@gmail.com) is organizing the YCC. Learn more or offer a workshop.

MEALS and ACCOMMODATIONS

We will serve Friday Dinner at the Church. We'll serve all five meals from Saturday Breakfast to Sunday Lunch in the school cafeteria. We will arrange sleeping accommodations for out-of-town guests at the homes of local volunteer hosts. Count on a welcoming community-oriented feel to the whole weekend! Boston area residents can host an out of town PMN participant, by filling out this form online.

REGISTRATION

Online registration will be announced soon. Financial assistance is available and must be arranged in advance. Our need-based payment scale seeks the broadest participation possible while keeping PMN financially solvent. All 6 meals are included when you register. Day rates are also available.

Tickets for the Friday concert are included for free with the Winter Gathering registration, or you will also be able to purchase concert tickets separately.

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR YOUTH & PEOPLE OF COLOR

PMN’s Matt Jones Scholarship Fund fosters a multi-racial and inter-generational artistic and political community by providing registration and partial travel stipends to young people (25 years or younger) and people of color wishing to attend a PMN gathering. Scholarship applicants may request up to $50 in travel stipends to reimburse for the cost of travel. Find information on how to apply.

Facebook: Consider sharing the Gathering Event on Facebook, and invite your friends!

SAVE THE DATE! PMN SUMMER GATHERING, June 1-3, 2018 (Tolland, MA)

Our 42nd annual PMN Summer Gathering will take place in 2018 at Camp Kinderland in Tolland, MA for the second year in a row. Save the date and stay tuned for more info. Videos from the 2017 Summer Gathering are now available on the PMN Youtube Page.

Yours in song,

Ben Grosscup

People's Music Network, Executive Director

PMN member, Bev Grant, wins 2017 ASCAP Foundation Jay Gorney Award!

Ben Grosscup — Thu, 27 Jul 2017 00:04:51 GMT

Click here for Original story.

ASCAP singer-songwriter Bev Grant was named the recipient of this year’s ASCAP Foundation Jay Gorney Award for her song “We Were There.”

Bev is a labor and social activist, feminist, and the 2017 Joe Hill Award winner from the Labor Heritage Foundation for her contribution as a cultural worker, an honor shared with former recipients Pete Seeger, Hazel Dickens and many others.

Bev grew up singing and playing with her two older sisters in Portland, OR. After moving to New York City in the early ‘60s, she formed her band The Human Condition, who recorded their first album “Working People Gonna Rise,” with Paredon Records, now distributed by Smithsonian/Folkways. Her song “Inez” is included in the Smithsonian/Folkways “Best of Broadside” collection.

Bev’s song, “We Were There” will soon have a global presence when it is presented at the United Trade Union Confederation 3rd Womens Conference in October in Costa Rica

Bev founded and directs the Brooklyn Women’s Chorus, who celebrated their 20th anniversary in March 2017.

The ASCAP Foundation Jay Gorney Award was established by Jay’s late wife, Sondra, and his son, Dr. Roderic Gorney. In the spirit of Jay’s song, “Brother Can You Spare a Dime?” which he wrote with lyricist E.Y. “Yip” Harburg, this award is presented for an original song based on its message of social conscience/social significance as well as overall craft, artistry and compositional elements.