Songwriters Draw Musical Inspiration From Immigration for 'Are We A Nation?' Laura Sciuto - NPR.org
go to original May 10, 2013

The song "ARE WE A NATION?" gave Sweet Honey In The Rock the opportunity to discuss their views on the complex issues of immigration and to create a vehicle for expressing their outrage about Arizona's law SB-1070. (sweethoneyinrock)

While "Gang of Eight" may sound like the next new pop sensation, this band of political leaders is not the least bit concerned with Billboard hits. Instead, they've taken on the task of producing bipartisan harmony on the issue of immigration reform.

But music does have a place in the national dialogue on immigration. "Music is used for political purposes all over the world and has been since the beginning of politics," Robert Neustadt told PBS NewsHour.

Director of Latin American Studies at Northern Arizona University, Neustadt has spent much of his career researching and writing about the role of music in Latin American political movements. Most recently, he co-produced "Border Songs," a two-disc compilation album of immigration songs, including tunes that focus on fatalities and other tragedies that occur in the desert at the border between the United States and Mexico. The album includes an eclectic mix of songs in both English and Spanish, spoken word, blues, folk and Americana and everything in between. Contributing artists include Amos Lee, Michael Franti, Spearhead and Tom Russell. Ninety-four-year-old folk music legend Pete Seeger even lends his song "My Rainbow Race" to the collection.

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