HOLLY NEAR
SINGER ˆ ACTIVIST ˆ TEACHER
AUTHOR ˆ PRODUCER ˆ ACTOR
H
ollyNearisauniquecombina�onofentertainer,teacher,andac�vist.Animmensevocaltalent,Near’s
careerasasingerhasbeendefinedbyanunwillingnesstoseparateherpassionformusicfromherpassion
forhumandignity.Sheisaskilledperformerandanoutspokenambassadorforpeacewhobringstothestage
anintegra�onofworldconsciousness,spiritualdiscovery,andtheatricality.
Althoughshesanginpublicfromtheageofeight,Ms.Near’sprofessionalcareerbeganwithnumerous
performancesinfilmandtelevision,andarunintheBroadwayproduc�onofHair.Tornbetweenacareerasan
actororasinger,Ms.Nearchosetopursueherloveofmusic,especiallythatmusicwhichar�culatedthesocial
condi�onsoftheworldcommunity.
Ms.Near’shistoricpapersarehousedatRadcliffe’sSchlesingerLibraryandareregardedasaninforma�ve
lookatthelast40yearsofsocialchangemovementsasexperiencedbyasinger/songwriter/ac�vist.Near’s
par�cipa�oncrossesovermanyculturesandcountries.Somesamplesofherworkinthelastfewyearsinclude:
•Oneofthe“1000WomenforPeace”nominatedforaNobelPeacePrizein2005
•PresentedattheNa�onalWomen’sHistoryProject’s2003conferenceatSmithCollege
•SpoketoworkersatIntel’sAlbuquerque,NMfacilityabouttoleranceanddiversity
•Deliveredthepres�giousWareLecturefortheUnitarianUniversalistGeneralAssemblyin2005
•InvitedtosinghersongHayUnaMujerDecaparecidaatVillaGrimaldiinSan�ago,Chile.The
villa,aninfamousprisonoftortureanddeath,hasbeenreclaimedbysurvivorsandfamiliesand
turnedintoapeacepark.
•JoinedEveEnsler,JaneFonda,SallyFields,Chris�neLah�,andnotedMexicanperformersin
Juarez,Mexicotoprotesttheuninves�gatedkillingofhundredsofyoungwomen
•Satwitnesstothetes�monyofwomenrepor�ngrapeandotherviolenceagainstwomenin
Toledo,OH
•Par�cipatedinatwo-daydiscussionwithDr.BerniceJohnsonReagon,HarryBelafonte,and
PeteSeegerthatfocusedonpoli�calsong,responsibleci�zenshipandtheeffectthatprotest
musichashadonpublicpolicy
•MetwithMohawkandEuropean-Americanwomentoinvitespiritualhealing
•HasreceivednumerousawardsincludinghonorsfromtheA.C.L.U.,theNa�onalLawyers
Guild,theNa�onalOrganiza�onforWomen,Na�onalAssocia�onofRecordingArtsand
Sciences,Ms.Magazine(WomanoftheYear),theLegendsofWomen’sMusicAward,and
ImpactFund
Near’sportraithangsatTheFreedomCenterinCincinna�,Ohioalongwiththoseofothersocialchange
ar�stsincludingPaulRobeson,MarionAnderson,PeteSeeger,Dr.BerniceJohnsonReagon,JoanBaez,Harry
Belafonte,andWoodyGuthrie.
ARTISTREPRESENTATION:
TamMar�n,BeachfrontBookings
T:503-281-3874/E:TamMar�[email protected]
www.hollynear.com
HOLLY NEAR
SINGER ˆ ACTIVIST ˆ TEACHER
AUTHOR ˆ PRODUCER ˆ ACTOR
I
n1972,HollyNearwasoneofthefirstwomentocreateanindependentrecordcompany.Althoughunusual
then,manyar�stsnowfollowthatpathofindependence.Near’svisionwastopromoteandproducemusic
bypoli�callyconsciousar�stsfromaroundtheworld—amissionthatRedwoodRecordsfulfilledfornearly20
years.O�encitedasoneofthefoundersofthe“women’smusic”movement,Hollynotonlyledthewayfor
outspokenwomenintothemusicworld,butalsoworkedforpeaceandmul�culturalconsciousness.
Anaturalteacher,Hollypresentsmasterclassesinperformancecra�andsongwri�ngtoawidearrayof
audiences.Laughing,shesays“I’moldenoughnowtobeanexpert!”Bothasapar�cipantandaleader,she
bearspersonalwitnesstothehugelyimportantrolethatmusicplaysinpoli�calac�onmovements.Holly’s
uniquepersonalperspec�ve,whichmakesthesubjectma�erleapoutofthebooksandintotheclassroom,
drawspraisefromcollegefacul�esaroundthecountry.
Aprofilicwriterandrecordingar�st,Nearhasreleased26recordingsofherown,includingtheseminalImagine
MySurprise,andperformsasaguestonmanyothers.Inthepastfewyears,Nearhasbeenbusyre-releasing
muchofherearlymaterial.Shecon�nuestowriteandsingpoli�calsongswithgraceandhumor,andher
integrityearnsherthereputa�onasoneofthemostar�culatesocialchangear�stsworkingtoday,witha
powerandmaturitythatmayonlycomefromdecadesofloveandfear,despair,andinspira�on.In2007,she
releasedSingToMeTheDream, anextendedandremasteredversionofher1984liveconcerttourwithIn�
Illimani.Anewcollabora�verecordingwithemma’srevolu�on,WeCameToSing!,whichwasbornofthe
2008SingOuttheVotetour,wasreleasedinAugust2009.Hollyandemma’srevolu�onputtheirunique
vocalstamponsongsfromHolly’srepertoireineleventracksthatincludeoldfavoritessuchasListentothe
Voices,SkyDances,andFiredUpalongwithnewarrangementsofStudyWarNoMoreandSailAwayLady,Pat
Humphries’SwimmingtotheOtherSide,andRickBurkhardt’s(ThePrinceMyshkins)MinistryofOil.
ARTISTREPRESENTATION:
TamMar�n,BeachfrontBookings
T:503-281-3874/E:TamMar�[email protected]
www.hollynear.com
HOLLY NEAR
QUOTES
“Itisatributetoamovement,amusicanda�metohaveinourmidstar�stswhocarrywiththem30yearsof
experienceandac�vism.HollyNearholdsglobalvisionandar�s�cintegritywithgraceandwisdom.Hermusic
isacollec�vememoryofa�mewhenwechangedtheworldforever.”—MichiganWomyn’sMusicFes�val,
2002
“Hollyspokeaboutthosedifficultareasinlife,howtodreamourdreams,theorizeourconcepts,pursueour
owntalentsandinterests,andsomehowintegratethewholeintotheac�onofourlives.Moreover,shehas
theabilitytodrawherlistenersintoac�veinterchangewithher.Shedisplayedthatraregi�ofspeakingto
severalhundredpeopleandtouchingthemindividually.Theaudiencewascap�vated.Shewastrulya
highpointinourlectureseries.”—LindaJeanMay,Ph.D.,ProgramCoordinator,Ins�tuteforResearchon
WomenandGender,StanfordUniversity
StudentswereclearlyimpressedthatinHollytheyweredealingwiththerealthing,thatis,withsomeonewho
notonlyprofessesherbeliefsbutwhohasalsolivedthemandcon�nuestodoso.Theylisteneda�en�velyas
sherecountedherownstrugglestomakeameaningfullifewithoutcompromisingmorethanshehadto.Ithink
weallcameawayinspiredbythestoryofsomeonewho,withhumorandhumility,hastriedtodosomething
fine,andmanagedtosustainitoveraverylonghaul.”—EileenBresnahan,Ph.D.,AssistantProfessorand
Director,Women’sStudies,ColoradoCollege
“Ican’timaginealectureprogramthatwouldn’tbegreatlyenrichedandenlivenedbyHollyNear.Ibringher
toUCSantaCruzeverychanceIget.Students,staffandfacultybeatdownthedoors,fortheyappreciateher
notonlyasagreatperformerbutas�rringeducatorandradianthumanbeing.Ialwayslearnfromher”—
ProfessorMargeFrantz,
UniversityofCalifornia,SantaCruz
“It’sadeeplymovinginspira�ontobeinanaudiencethatspontaneouslystandsup,enmasse,andchooses
tobecountedamongthegrowingnumbersofpeoplewho,likeHolly,thriveonthepersonalsa�sfac�on
andjoythatcomewithlivingourlivesonthecu�ngedge.I’vewatchedherdoit�meand�meagain,her
powerfulpresenceisacalltocourage;combinedwithherpersonalwarmth,she’sirresis�ble.”—JohnMifsud,
Coordinator,Thir�ethNa�onalConferenceonMenandMasculinity,Sea�leUniversity
“Veryfewhavetheabilitytoblendcourageandtalentsowell.Shetalked&sangaboutissuesthatringtrue
tomanypeopleallovertheworld.IamnotAmerican,butforthefirst�meIfeltlikeI’vetrulyunderstoodtwo
hoursofanythinganAmericanhaseversaid...completely.”—BereaCollege,Kentucky,Seniorstudentfrom
India(Tibetan)
“IthoughtIwascomingtoaworkshoponsongwri�ng.IfoundIwasataworkshoponlifeandlove.Andof
course,mysongwri�ngimprovedimmensely.Iwaswri�ngshallow.Hollyshowedmehowtowritedeep.”
—Aworkshoppar�cipant
“Hollyisadeligh�ulcombina�onofJudyGarlandandPeteSeeger!”—Afan
ARTISTREPRESENTATION:
TamMar�n,BeachfrontBookings
T:503-281-3874/E:TamMar�[email protected]
www.hollynear.com
HOLLY NEAR
RECORDINGS
CURRENTLYAVAILABLE
ARCHIVALRECORDINGS
WECAMETOSING!
HollyNearwithemma’srevolu�on
SKYDANCES
CalicoTracksMusic,2009
RedwoodRecords,1989
DON’THOLDBACK
SINGTOMETHEDREAM
RedwoodRecords,1987
CalicoTracksMusic,2007
SINGINGWITHYOU
withRonnieGilbert
SHOWUP
CalicoTracksMusic,2006
RedwoodRecords,1987
CRIS&HOLLY
withCrisWilliamson
HARP
withArloGuthrie,RonnieGilbertandPeteSeeger
H&CRecords,2003
RedwoodRecords,1985
LIFELINEEXTENDED
SINGTOMETHEDREAM
withIn�Illimani
AppleseedRecordings,2002
CRUSHED!:THELOVESONGCOLLECTION
CalicoTracksMusic,2002
ANDSTILLWESING:THEOUTSPOKENCOLLECTION
CalicoTracksMusic,2002
HARP:ATIMETOSING
AppleseedRecordings,2001
EARLYWARNINGS
Selec�onsfromSkyDancesandWatchOut!
AppleseedRecordings,2002
EDGE
CalicoTracksMusic,2000
SIMPLYLOVE:THEWOMEN’SMUSICCOLLECTION
CalicoTracksMusic,2000
MUSICALHIGHLIGHTS
fromtheplayFireInTheRain
CalicoTracksMusic2000
WITHASONGINMYHEART
withpianistJohnBucchino
RedwoodRecords,1984
WATCHOUT!
withJohnMcCutcheonandTrapezoid
RedwoodRecords,1984
LIFELINE
withRonnieGilbert
RedwoodRecords,1984
JOURNEYS–ARetrospec�ve,1972-1983
RedwoodRecords,1983
SPEEDOFLIGHT
RedwoodRecords,1982
FIREINTHERAIN
RedwoodRecords,1981
IMAGINEMYSURPRISE
withMegChris�an
RedwoodRecords,1978
YOUCANKNOWALLIAM
RedwoodRecords,1976
CalicoTracksMusic,1997
ALIVEALBUM
THISTRAINSTILLRUNS
withRonnieGilbert
HANGINTHERE
AbbeAliceMusic,1996
ARTISTREPRESENTATION:
TamMar�n,BeachfrontBookings
T:503-281-3874/E:TamMar�[email protected]
RedwoodRecords,1975
RedwoodRecords,1973
www.hollynear.com