Music & Politics
As part of our efforts to reach out to and interact in our community more effectively, I created this blog entitled “Music & Politics”
Some of you may be asking yourself, “Music & Politics”? Really? What’s the connection? Well, when I was coming up in the biz, back in my hometown of Dayton, Ohio, one very recognized component in great song writing was messaging. What is the message in your music? What are you attempting to say? With musical role models like Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Marvin Gaye, and Bob Dylan, it was obvious that these conscientious artists understood the huge platforms they had and how they could share their music in a way that could expose the struggles, plights and challenges that many people who are otherwise under-represented, face.
Their goal was ultimately to bring a different lens to the world. To speak truth to power. To claim the virtues of justice, empathy, fairness and community. To empower, educate and inform the masses, while at the same time keeping us bumpin’ on the dance floor.
My blog will delve into the issues and challenges of the day, maintaining the audacity of hope to seek higher ground through perspective and artistry. Music is a powerful medium that has branded our society and broken down many unpopular misconceptions. “Living for the City”, “Inner City Blues”, Blowin’ in the Wind”, “4 dead in Ohio”, “Living in America” are examples of compositions that encapsulate a movement or moment in our country that highlighted our unique social dynamics, good, bad or indifferent. We can do this in a free country that gives us inalienable rights to petition our government when they shortchange the people. It is my passion to carry on these traditions and continue to provide social commentary and artistic endeavors that will further our objectives to foster engagement and provide a platform in order to form a more perfect union.
I want to encourage you to celebrate the unique experiences that we share as a people. Our distinguished culture is the envy of the free world. We are blessed with opportunity; we are blessed with hope. We are blessed to have each other. We stand united because of our values. Our government has the tall order of living up to those high values. When they don’t, it is incumbent upon us, “We the People” to lift up our collective voices from sea to shining sea until the hallowed halls and sacraments of our founding principles are adhered to and fulfilled to their utmost possibilities. Music & politics is an intricate part of our Universe. What is the Universe? Uni means one. Verse is an intricate part of a song. So, the universe is a song sung by the planets, moons, stars, and suns. From many comes one. Just as we are one here in this great country, so let us come together, right here and now……over me!
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Jacque
Jacque Williams is the host of City Views, a Radio personality at WAPJ FM 89.9 & 105.1 Torrington Community Radio and Founder and Program Director of Culture for a Cause, whose mission is to build communities through music and the arts.