Diggin' Into Bluegrass: Hazel Dickens

I have decided for my annual recital that I will turn from my normal 'musical theater and pop comfort zone' and get into new territory focusing on country, folk and bluegrass music. I have always been a fan of popular country music from the 70's (to be frank, pretty much ANY music from the 70's suits me just fine). I grew up listening to Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, John Denver, Anne Murray, The Mandrell Sisters and Linda Ronstadt. I am familiar with folk music from the 60's and 70's. I fall under the cliche category of being a Joni Mitchell fan. Can't listen to much of Bob Dylan singing, but I love his songs and prefer artists like Joan Baez doing his stuff. Pete Seeger is a staple in our home. My kids were raised on Sesame Street and good old Pete. I love his cleverness and sense of fun and leave it to banjo music to get kids up and moving. There are many more artists in the country and folk world that I will touch on in the coming months, but for today I have to admit, I do not know much about the the world of bluegrass.

This has been where most of my research resides. I am particularly interested in female artists of the genre. I had heard of most of the top male artists, but women like Hazel Dickens...where has she been all my life? Of course Emmylou Harris and Allison Krauss have been more household names in my neighborhood, the soundtrack of, Brother Where Art Thou? thrust bluegrass into the forefront of our nations conscious when it came out in 2000.

But today we need to talk about Hazel Dickens. She was known for her songs that were pro-union, and she served as an advocate for coal miners through her music. She was originally a part of the duo, Hazel and Alice. Their first album together, "Who's That Knocking," released in 1965, is considered one of the earliest bluegrass records made by women. She was a reluctant feminist role model and has said that she was originally scared to write about issues like sexism and the oppression of women.

In an interview she gave in 1999 she remembers the first time she sang 'Don't Put Her Down, You Helped Put Her There', she recalled, "I was at a party standing in the middle of all these men. It was here in Washington. Bob Siggins was playing banjo, and when I got done, everyone just stood and looked at each other, and Bob said, "That's a nice song, but I won't be able to sing it." And I said, "Of course you can."

 "We were writing about our own experience, " she explained. "They were things we needed to say."

Here is a sample of Hazel Dickens. Enjoy!!

 

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