I like Pete Seeger’s music and he’s about as left wing as you can get – probably to Mao and Stalin’s left

For many years the song was a bit hard to find, as Cash’s albums went out of print and the song was not included on his biggest compilation albums. But they started including it in the compilations that they put out in the 2000′s.

You seem like such a staunch supporter of the music that you love, which makes you a rare and wonderful commodity.

As an artist who frequents E145, I can’t help but wonder (and this is a ‘business’ question– you seem pretty affable, so I figured I’d ask), do the political leanings of people who release new music or tour in your area really factor into your deciding their work to be listenable / watchable? Or is that just something you like to needle other commenters with?

Snider aside… When an artist goes in that direction in their recorded music or in their stage banter, I can see where that would be off-putting to you. It can be off-putting to me, too, even if I agree with them. In other cases, I mean. Do you really know where people lean, politically? Do you just assume? Do you not know until they themselves say something?

I just never put a lot of thought into the politics of someone whom I enjoy musically. If I like a song, I like a song. That’s one of the things that I like about music– a good song can make you forget a lot of things (or think about a lot of things) including the person that has written, or is performing it.

I guess what I’m asking is– I’ve never mentioned my political leanings because I don’t believe it has anything to do with my music, but do you think artists in general should (to use that documentary title) shut up and sing? Does the fact that an artist choses to publicly release music make their opinion null and void, even if, say, that artist had a degree from a noteworthy university that would thus qualify them to speak on the subject? What if an artist shared your political beliefs– does that effect the way you’d grade a new release from them?

I don’t know if any of the people you like to needle have such a degree, and I certainly don’t when it comes to politics (History with a concentration on Ancient Middle Eastern History / English here) but I wonder where you feel artists should draw the line?

Thanks Rick,

Drew Kennedy

Gosh, Todd Snider and Bruce Springsteen releasing new albums on the same day! The wallets of a lot of lefty liberals are going to be a bit lighter today after a stop by Best Buy or Walmart…

Its great to see the amazing piano playing of “Pig” Robbins and vocal talent of Connie Smith get recognized by the CMHOF. Now as for Garth, I don’t give a crap. I know, Buck’s Crystal Palace can now donate that dopey bronze statue of Garth to the CMHOF and replace it with Bob Wills! Now that would be something worth celebrating…