Order I Have Known Women now at the link below! $15 per CD + $4 for shipping (sorry, no international shipping). OR get your digital copy of the album here on Bandcamp: https://sarolyncht.bandcamp.com/
On the 100-year anniversary of the ratification of U.S. Women’s Suffrage, Appalachian artists Saro Lynch-Thomason and Sam Gleaves present an album celebrating the triumphs and struggles of women. Utilizing a blend of old-time, country and folk, Sam and Saro artfully weave together portraits of women who resist slavery, cross literal and metaphorical borders, and take to the picket lines with pride and love. This collection features 13 songs, 10 never before released, written by master songwriter and organizer Si Kahn, with Saro, Sam and Si collaborating on “I Have Known Women.”
Saro, an award winning ballad singer and songwriter from Asheville, North Carolina, has spent years performing and teaching Appalachian balladry and social justice history. A singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist originally from Wytheville, Virginia, Sam has collaborated and toured with Grammy Award winners Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer as well as folk legend Peggy Seeger. Together, Sam and Saro use evocative vocals and moving instrumentation to produce songs contemporary in their content but grounded in traditional, acoustic sounds.
I Have Known Women features the musicianship of Liam Purcell (multi-instrumentalist whose band Cane Mill Road won a 2019 IBMA Momentum Award), Hasee Ciaccio (bassist who performs with Sister Sadie and Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands), and percussionist John Gardner.
In his 53rd year as a civil rights, union and community organizer and musician, Si Kahn’s body of work includes 18 albums of original songs, a CD of traditional labor and civil rights songs recorded with Pete Seeger and Jane Sapp, the songs and/or scripts for seven musicals and four organizing/political books, including one co-authored with public philosopher Elizabeth Minnich, Si’s long-time partner and spouse.
Fierce, funny, and mournful, I Have Known Women bears witness to the historic struggles of women and testifies to their ongoing fight for safety, autonomy, freedom, friendship and love.
Photos by Ben Bateson
