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The release of Paulette Meier's Timeless Quaker Wisdom In Plain Song brings to mind the wealth of other Quaker musicians out there who are led to sing their message rather than speak it.
Steve Deasy was a huge crowd-pleaser at this years FGC Gathering, performing songs from his latest Long Player People Once Were Welcome Here. "Through my involvement with Friends & AFSC," says Deasy, "my writing & performing have been increasingly devoted to causes of peace, justice, and equality."
The perennially praised and terribly talented Carrie Newcomer also has a recently released album, Before & After, featuring Mary Chapin Carpenter on the title track. Additionally, Newcomer has an extensive back catalog which is more than worth a perusal.
Doug Gwyn wears many hats: teacher, historian, pastor, and, luckily for us, singer-songwriter. On his album The Brothers Doug, Gwyn takes a more lighthearted approach than he does in his writings and the results are quite amusing.
As a Blues and Folk guitarist and singer-songwriter, Larry Thomasson performed for decades around the Philadelphia area. About his album I’m Still Loving You, Bob Patterson says, “Larry Thomasson journeyed out into all the chaos looking for the meaning of things. He had the courage to return home and reaffirm life and all its wonder. This CD is about that journey.”
Accomplished American Folkie John McCutcheon has been creating music about love and politics since the 1970’s. His album This Fire continues this tradition, delivering the moving, literate kinds of songs we’ve come to expect from him.
Solo acts are not the only musicians with Quaker roots. Faith & Practice is a great band out of Bucks County, Pa. You can hear a wide range of songs, including covers and originals, on their second album, But Seriously Folks. Tribe1 is an a cappella group who use their beautiful voices to make rhythmic music promoting peace and social justice. Check out their album Waymaker.
And if you want to make your own music, there’s no better book to have lying around the house than Annie & Peter Blood-Patterson’s classic songbook Rise Up Singing. The Leaveners, a British Performing Arts Organization, also have a songbook, Sing In The Spirit, full of songs by and about Quakers and Quaker themes.
For more information about Quaker music-makers out there, take a look at this extensive list on the Blood-Patterson’s website.
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