Eastern Kentucky University
From Kantatas to Lieder to Bluegrass – The Power of Text and Music: Study 2: (Engle) Hazel Dickens Paddling Upstream: Inciting Social Change through Music
Institution
Eastern Kentucky University
Faculty Advisor/ Mentor
Joyce Hall Wolfe
Abstract
Hazel Dickens, through her career as a singer, songwriter, and activist, has gone against the flow of traditional currents in American life. Her songs about workers’ rights and unionization in the Appalachian coalfields have roused people to consider working class issues. Her songs about labor relations, mine disasters, and the realities of coal mining shed light on the plight of Appalachian workers. Her pioneering career as a female bluegrass musician paved the way for women in the genre. As one of the first female musicians in a male-dominated genre, Dickens was able to expand the definition of bluegrass music and contribute to its growth and dissemination. She has used the medium of music to inspire and educate people, while bringing increased awareness to important issues. Dickens used a traditional style of music to promote change that gave a voice to many underprivileged and exploited people. She has helped set the course for bluegrass, folk music, and labor music and has been instrumental in changing attitudes about workers and women, diverging from traditional social norms and fighting for rights and change.
From Kantatas to Lieder to Bluegrass – The Power of Text and Music: Study 2: (Engle) Hazel Dickens Paddling Upstream: Inciting Social Change through Music
Hazel Dickens, through her career as a singer, songwriter, and activist, has gone against the flow of traditional currents in American life. Her songs about workers’ rights and unionization in the Appalachian coalfields have roused people to consider working class issues. Her songs about labor relations, mine disasters, and the realities of coal mining shed light on the plight of Appalachian workers. Her pioneering career as a female bluegrass musician paved the way for women in the genre. As one of the first female musicians in a male-dominated genre, Dickens was able to expand the definition of bluegrass music and contribute to its growth and dissemination. She has used the medium of music to inspire and educate people, while bringing increased awareness to important issues. Dickens used a traditional style of music to promote change that gave a voice to many underprivileged and exploited people. She has helped set the course for bluegrass, folk music, and labor music and has been instrumental in changing attitudes about workers and women, diverging from traditional social norms and fighting for rights and change.