The music industry is recognizing Juneteenth
The current climate in the country has given an even greater significance to this year’s Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, which takes place every June 19 and celebrates the freeing of enslaved black people on that date in 1865.
The music industry is acknowledging the holiday in a number of ways, with many of the major labels and streaming platforms making it an official day off, encouraging workers not to simply consider it as a vacation day, but a period to contemplate on why it exists and is so important.
The Warner Music Group, home to Elektra, Rhino and Reprise Records among others, sent out a memo to employees declaring Juneteenth an annual, full-paid leave for all the staff according to Billboard magazine, who obtained a copy of the document.
The company advised its employees to use Friday, “To learn, reflect, and connect as we continue to battle systemic racism… While this was a massive step toward liberation, more than 150 years later, people are still fighting for true freedom and equality in this country. We’ve heard loud and clear that our teams across the U.S. would like to take the time to mark this day, which is also known as Freedom Day.”
Similar steps have been taken by Sony Music, ASCAP and BMG thought concrete details have yet to be revealed. Most companies, it seems, are taking an under the radar approach, perhaps in fears of a “what took so long?” type of backlash. The observance of the holiday by large corporations, such as Nike and Google, has further raised the profile of Juneteenth with companies
“To commemorate, celebrate, and recognize the day that slavery ended in the United States, Spotify has made Juneteenth a permanent company holiday for all U.S. employees,” the streaming service announced earlier this week. “To underscore the importance of Juneteenth this year, Spotify’s flagship playlist New Music Friday will exclusively feature Black artists from Friday, June 19, through June 26. Additionally, Spotify’s New Music Friday billboards in Times Square will be dedicated only to Black artists on June 19.”
The artist-friendly online music company Bandcamp will be donating 100% of its share of sales to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund from midnight to midnight PDT. Promising this year is the just the first in an annual recognition of Juneteenth, they are also allocating an additional $30,000 per year to partner with organizations that fight for racial justice and create opportunities for people of color.
Along with many artists holding live concerts online instead of in-person because of COVID-19, Philly’s own DJ Jazzy Jeff will be providing the soundtrack to this year’s Juneteenth Music Festival (juneteenthmusicfestival.com). Dubbing the set “The 90’s vs. Everybody Virtual House Party,” it’s set to take place on the eve of the actual holiday, this Thursday.
New York City based SummerStage will he holding “A Digital Day of Dance” on Juneteenth as part of their current digital music series. Performances from Brooklyn’s Jamel Gaines Creative Outlet Dance Theatre and
RudduR Dance are headliners of the event, which will be presented on the SummerStage Instagram (instagram.com/summerstage) Friday beginning at noon and culminating with a performance and discussion panel on the organization’s YouTube channel (youtube.com/ user/NYCSummerStage) at 7p.m.
VINYL OF THE WEEK
Keep an eye on this spot as each week we’ll be looking at new or soon-to-be-released vinyl from a variety of artists. It might be a repressing of a landmark recording, special edition or new collection from a legendary artist. This week, it’s an unreleased LP from one of the best-known singer/ songwriters in music.
NEIL YOUNG: ‘HOMEGROWN’
Roughly 46 years after its original recording, Neil Young is finally releasing one of his most storied and sought-after albums, ‘Homegrown.’ Often referred to by fans as one of Young’s mysterious, great “lost albums,” the 12 studio tracks have gained near mythical status since first being recorded in 1974 and early 1975.
‘Homegrown’ was intended to come out in 1975 before Young cancelled the release as he felt the songs were “too personal” and the result of a bad breakup.
“It scared me,” he told Rolling Stone in 1975 about the tracks. “I’ve never released any of those. And I probably never will. I think I’d be too embarrassed to put them out. They’re a little too real.”
The dozen songs that make up the album feature seven that are previously unreleased. Among them are “Separate Ways,”
“Try,” “Mexico,” “Kansas,” We Don’t Smoke It No More” and “Vacancy.” Also included are the first recordings of “Homegrown,” “White Line” and “Star of Bethlehem,” different versions of which would all later appear on other Neil Young LPs. The versions of “Love is a Rose” and “Little Wing” were previously released on the 1977 compilation ‘Decade.’ In its totality though – and according to Young – ‘Homegrown’ is the bridge between his celebrated albums ‘Harvest’
(1972) and ‘Comes a Time’
(1978).
There’s no denying the heartbreak and vulnerability on in the music, many of which sound like a direct sonic extension of ‘Harvest’ at times with their lofi country-rock flavorings. Opener “Separate” and the single “Try” are particularly painful – in a good way – in their open wound bloodletting. Young rounds out the proceedings with contributions from the likes of singer Emmylou Harris, guitarist Robbie Robertson and drummer Levon Helm, the latter two from The Band.
Recorded in analog, ‘Homegrown’ was mixed at that time to original stereo analog master tapes. The original mixes have been restored by John Hanlon and mastered by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering, making it a completely original album.
‘Homegrown’ can be purchased online and in stores from all respectable retailers who carry vinyl.