Tag: activism

NOV 19, 2013 - Musician and filmmaker Julie Sokolow saw firsthand the problem her and other musicians and artists in the Pittsburgh area having the same problem she had, trying to find an affordable health care insurance plan for a single person. So, she formed an organization called "Healthy Artists" to push for a single-payer health care system.  After the ACA, or "Obamacare", was rolled out she started using the organization to help musicians and artists not only learn more about the Affordable Health Care Act, but also help it roll out more smoothly and be successful. Musicians and artists have a special stake in the successful roll out and implementation of the ACA, because many musicians are self-employed and have never even thought about health care and insurance. Read more about Julie in her work on PittNews.com here, and check out Healthy Artists website here. Watch musician-activist Matt Dull from the group Young Brokaw talk about getting a bill for $1200 because he had no health insurance after he slipped on the ice. He talks about the need for everyone to have health insurance, so please sign up if you do not have health insurance yet. In some states it is very low cost, and many people will get subsidies to help you pay for it. JTMP asks our musician supporters to sign up for health care insurance through the exchanges by December 14th, 2013 by going to the government's health care insurance exchange website here.

NOV 18, 2013 - Joan Jett, who is trying to separate her musical entertainment side and her animal rights activism side, is having a rough go these days. South Dakota ranchers, who abuse millions of cows in those horrible feed lots and slaughterhouses, heard Joan Jett would be on their state's float in the parade. They complained and got her moved, or she moved to a different float depending on who you talk to. Jett has been very active in the animal rights activism field, making PSAs and working with PETA among many other things. Read more about the controversy on NewYorkCBSLocal.com here.  (photo credit: Jessica Harcourt Leary/CC)

NOV 18, 2013 - Musician Kris Kristofferson is blaming his athletic days and concussions on his recent memory loss problems. Kristofferson said in an interview to Fox411 that "my memory has been going recently". He added he can remember his songs, and his latest film, "The Motel Life" is currently out. Kris' life has been rich. Born an "army brat" in Texas, he attended Pomona College in California and played rugby and football, and surely received many concussions. Sports programs these days on all levels are grappling with concussion issues, which can lead to long term health problems such as memory loss like Kris is suffering from. He earned a Rhodes Scholarship, and while at Merton he boxed, which led to more concussions. He also started writing songs professionally while there. In 1960, under pressure from his military career family, he enrolled in the US Army and was stationed in Germany. He resumed his music career and formed a band. In 1965 he left the army and decided to pursue his music career full time. His army career family was horrified and disowned him; they never reconciled.

He went to Nashville and swept floors for Columbia Studios, and worked hard at his songwriting until in 1971 Janis Joplin recorded his song "Me and Bobby McGee". Ray Stevens and Johnny Cash recorded his song "Sunday Mornin' Coming Down" and he had success as a performer also. He then went on to have a successful acting career, winning a Golden Globe award for his role in "A Star is Born". Married three times and with eight children, he told Fox411, "I am very blessed and am at a very good point in my life". Read the entire interview on Fox411 here.  (photo credit: Ron Baker/CC)

NOV 14, 2013 - The memorial to honor the life and music legacy of Lou Reed will be held today. His Facebook page announced the memorial service will be held at the Paul Milstein Pool & Terrace at Lincoln Center today at from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. It will be open to the public, and they say there will be no speeches or live performances. It will feature selections by his family and friends of his music and recordings for all to hear. Recently, many tributes have come from his wife, family, friends, and musicians he has worked with. Rolling Stone posted 20 musicians and their thoughts on Lou and his musical legacy.

NOV 12, 2013 - Marty Stuart is not really known for his activism, but when I was watching him play the song "Hard Working Man" from his Ghost Train album on his show the other night, the chorus was very powerful and I realized it made a statement on the bad situation workers in America find themselves in. JTMP believes that bad situation is a direct result of the US Chamber of Commerce helping to ship their jobs overseas, and the Mitt Romneys of the world hiding their money in the Cayman Islands and sitting on their wealth, and not investing in America. The chorus goes:

"What will become of the working man, with honest sweat on his brow?
In a nation that raised him to build it, gonna turn its back on him now?
Take away his pride and dignity, and give his job to some foreign land.
Here's a question that needs a good answer.
What will become of the hard working man?"

Good question Marty. I would start with penalizing people who ship jobs overseas and hide their money in the Cayman Islands, and give huge tax breaks to patriots who invest in America. Then, we raise the minimum wage to $14 an hour. Next, we get rid of the so-called "Right to Work" union-busting laws and then expand and strengthen unions. That would be a good start. Watch Marty talking about how his own father was fired and "escorted out to his truck" after giving so much to the company, with a live performance of Hard Working Man in Philadelphia back in 2010 by usbomb99 on YouTube below.  (photo credit: Alan C Teeple/CC)