Noel Paul Stookey features new generation of activist musicians

The Ellsworth American January 11, 2021
by Anne Berleant

BLUE HILL — Noel Paul Stookey has the kind of protest roots that today’s young activists can only dream of, born out of the youth-inspired movement of the 1960s. Stookey, of course, is part of the iconic folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary, a name synonymous with American folk music. In recent years, Stookey has connected with young and activist musicians across the country, continuing his six-plus decades of social commentary through music.

With an optimism that radiates as widely as his smile Stookey’s latest project is “Hope Rises,” a compilation of songs written and performed by 15 musicians far younger than he but who embody a similar spirit. The album was issued from Stookey’s Vermont-based nonprofit organization Music to Life and moves far beyond folk music.

“When people say, where are the protest songs, they still think of Bob Dylan and harmonica and a guitar, but the current wave of expression and concern is available in all forms of music,” Stookey shared in a recent interview with The American.

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