By SoDak
In the late 1980s, I came across a record of Rosalie
Sorrels. I was quite taken by this folksinger, given the combination of
personal and political songs. Her voice was beautiful and gentle. The words
were direct and honest. It was evident that she loved poetry, storytelling, and
the west. I was thrilled to learn that Utah Phillips and her spent a lot of
time traveling and playing music together, while working for social change. She
spent much of her life collecting stories and writing songs in order to share
them with others. In the late 1990s, I saw Sorrels play a concert in a small
coffee shop in Eugene, Oregon. There were twenty to thirty people crowded
together to share the evening. Ken Kesey introduced Sorrels, sharing a couple
short stories about her, highlighting her humanity, the power of her words, and
the importance of art in resistance and social struggle. Sorrels captivated the
audience sharing stories about her comrades and the lives of regular working
folks. Stories and songs were woven together. We fell in love with Idaho and
Utah because of how she recounted her life and experiences in these places.
This week I was saddened to learn that she died June 11, 2017, but am left
appreciating the music she made.
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