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Tori
Amos Loves RAINN
by Ashley Kurzweil and Kelley D. Watson
It has happened
to our mothers, our sisters, and our friends. The bleak prediction
is that it will happen to approximately 27 out of every 1,000
female college students. Most of us know at least one woman
who has been affected by rape. Rape is an extremely traumatic,
life-altering experience that not only affects the victim
who was raped, but their family and friends. It is an assault
that does not simply end after the physical attack. It can
lead to panic attacks, depression, social isolation, and even
suicide. Victims are advised to seek help as soon as possible
to begin the healing process, but they often do not know what
resources are available.
Until the early
90s, there were no prominent nationwide organizations that
were dedicated to rape and sexual abuse. Victims had to rely
on visiting a local counseling center or a family psychologist.
Many women are ashamed or embarrassed to get help after a
rape and are reluctant to do anything that might let their
family or friends know what has happened to them.
"It was me and
a gun and a man on my back. And I sang 'holy holy' as he buttoned
down his pants." Every two minutes someone in America is sexually
assaulted. Tori Amos is one of many Americans that have been
sexually assaulted, but instead of hiding her pain, Amos chose
to express it and try to help others. Amos not only articulated
her feelings through various songs on her Little Earthquakes
album including "Me and A Gun" and "Silent All These Years"
but also appealed to her record label, Warner Music Group
and Atlantic Records to fund an organization.
Amos, together
with Warner Music Group and Atlantic Records, formed RAINN,
The Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network. RAINN is the
nation's largest anti-sexual assault organization and operates
the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE. Since
the founding of RAINN in 1994, it has grown tremendously and
the hotline has helped more than half a million survivors
of sexual assault.
RAINN has many
supporters: R.E.M., Jewel, Jennifer Aniston, Michael J. Fox
and Dave Matthews Band, just to name a few. RAINN also has
the support of all six national broadcast networks: ABC, NBC,
CBS, The WB, FOX and UPN. According to its website, RAINN
will receive the help of over 1,000 local affiliates, and
more than $19 million of donated media spots to promote its
organization's educational messages and hotline. This allotted
time will reach more than 100 million Americans.
There are many
ways you can contribute to this effort. Together we can help.
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Graceful
and Innovative: Bonnie Raitt's Silver Lining
by Lauren Beck
Bonnie Raitt's
16th album Silver Lining is the newest edition to my
collection of road trip CD's, the ones that keep me going
on a long drive. Full of energy and spunk, this redheaded,
slide guitar virtuoso has put together a collection of songs
that more than pleases the ear; it touches your heart, moves
your feet, and makes you feel good all over. But in order
to truly appreciate the quality of her musicianship, it is
best to know a little about her history.
Bonnie Raitt comes
from a prestigious musical family. Her father is Broadway
singer John Raitt and her mother, Marge Goddam, is an accomplished
pianist/vocalist. Bonnie was born and raised in Los Angeles.
When she was only eight years old, she was given a Stella
guitar as a Christmas present. In the late 60's, she attended
Harvard for three years, majoring in Social Relations and
African Studies. By this time, she was heavily immersed in
blues and folk music and performed in coffeehouses between
classes. She left college to pursue a full time music career
and in a relatively short time, was opening up for outstanding
blues musicians like Muddy Waters and the late John Lee Hooker,
picking up tips and techniques for music and life along the
way.
The name became
popular among musicians and supporters. In 1971, she signed
with Warner Brothers and released her self-titled debut album.
Over the next seven years, she recorded six albums and by
1995, had eight Grammies on her shelf. On March 6, 2000, she
was inducted into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame, followed
by her induction, along with her father's, into the Hollywood
Bowl Hall of Fame in June, 2002.
While she is best
known for her musical talents and accomplishments, she is
also recognized for her continued activism in environmental
movements, her support of Native Americans, human and women's
rights, and her fight against apartheid in South Africa. She
was arrested twice in Washington while lobbying for changes
in forest policy. Bonnie is on of the founding members of
the Blues Foundation and she established the Bonnie Raitt
Program that provides free guitar lessons for over 180 Boys
and Girls Clubs worldwide. She has also been involved in the
world of literature, having written the foreword to American
Roots, a book based on the PBS series.
After 30 years
of singing and songwriting, performing and touring, lobbying
and protesting, and living life to the fullest, this amazing
woman has created an album that truly reflects her accomplishments.
" There is nothing like living a long time to create a depth
and soulfulness in your music in your music," says Bonnie.
After listening to her album, I found that it is full of the
depth and soulfulness she talks about. She incorporates a
wide variety of styles and genres ranging from super funky
Monkey Business to an uplifting version of singer/songwriter
David Gray's Silver Lining. Her love and appreciation
of African music and culture moved her to record Hear Me
Lord, written by Oliver Mtukudzi, a world-renowned percussionist
from Zimbabwe. She also incorporates African percussion into
many of the other songs. Her friendship with slide guitarist
Roy Rogers led her to co-write a song with him called Gnawin'
On It, featuring that one of a kind, sizzling slide guitar
sound that only Bonnie Raitt can produce (Roy Rogers can also
be heard on this song as 'the other slide guitar'). A solo
artist from New Orleans, pianist Jon Cleary brings the funk
to Bonnie's music and Benmont Tench, the piano player from
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, performs a beautiful accompaniment
on Wounded Heart. There are many other well-known performers
in this album, including guitarist George Marinelli from Bruce
Hornsby and the Range, bassist James "Hutch" Hutchinson, one
of the original Neville Brothers, and from The Beach Boys,
drummer Ricky Fataar. Some of Bonnie's original pieces include
a funked-up blues tune called No Getting Over You and
the acoustic song Back Around.
With an all-star
line up and thirty years of experience under her belt, Bonnie
Raitt's Silver Lining still surpasses all expectations
of a great collection of music. The production, in which Bonnie
was very involved, is absolutely flawless, with every grace
note, piano trill, and drum hit perfectly audible. Even the
slower tunes are bursting with an energy that only the best
musicians can create. The overall effect of these enchanting
songs is such that it sends chills down my spine. Her voice
carries beautifully in her ballads and that signature bluesy
scratch breaks through in her funky tunes. While some of the
lyrics are playful and easygoing and the others take on a
more serious tone, Bonnie's singing style is nothing less
than gracefully innovative. A wide variety of instruments
are used ranging from the Talking Drum to the Tuba. This eclectic
alliance creates a depth that is rarely found in even the
most professional recordings. After listening to this album
over and over again, I still can't find a song that I don't
love. Each song offers something different than the one before
and every time I listen, I hear something new. Silver Lining
contains everything that you could ask for in a good rhythm
and blues album and more. To learn more Bonnie Raitt and her
band, visit www.bonnieraitt.com.
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