Badger and Rock Sprite caught the Oliver Anthony concert in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, this past weekend – his defiant song Rich Men North of Richmond lifting a town that Hurricane Helene and the North Toe River hit hard. The concert surprisingly transported me straight back to 1967, when I was 13, a precocious kid in urban Appalachia, soaking in the predecessors to Ten Years After’s Tax the Rich, Feed the Poor following the Summer of Love and the ascension of like-minded musicians. Same grit, same growl: the little guy against the system, then and now.
On the same April day, Asheville and Western North Carolina roared as well to another beat – the ‘Hands Off’ protests fighting for what’s perceived to be ours, especially if you’re feeling ignored by your government, be ye red or blue or somewhere in between.
But Badger’s got a worry – after Helene, with tourism still on its knees, could all the protest noise chase off the visitors we need to rebuild? Back in ‘67 and for years onward, music moved mountains without breaking them and there’s a belief that only shouting might just serve to scare skittish tourists away.
Anthony’s performance and in particular his signature song helped a community to build a day and evening which rejuvenated Spruce Pine, at least for a time. The Rural Revival Project featuring Anthony was billed as an “event dedicated to raising critical funds and awareness for a community deeply affected by recent hurricanes.” Kitty and I were in Spruce Pine on a Saturday less than two months ago, and the town looked bleak. As a Son of Appalachia, I was thrilled to find Western North Carolina hope and resilience in the Anthony music. His was a message also tinged with defiance, much like I recall the late sixties and early seventies of the 20th Century.
Don’t doubt that I’m in favor of peaceful protesting – I grew up with the concept. I also remember only four years ago that the Floyd protests and the reactions thereto disrupted predominately urban cities but rural areas as well.
In my mind the question persists: will continuing protests drown out the welcome mat our Appalachian region needs to heal? My reflection as a relative complete unknown watching music lift spirits then and now may serve to contribute to the effort to see our mountains fight to rise again.
I reiterate that freedom of assembly to redress grievances is part and parcel of a life of reflection gauging what really works to foster change. Combining music with the ubiquitous well-meaning placards struck me as an option for a peaceful perception by outsiders of one means of bringing the world back to the hub of Asheville and the spokes beyond.
Much of progress in any realm is imbued with perception. This is important: Are the protests competing with the need for visitors or can the two be combined to benefit our region in an authentic way? Is this seemingly incongruous pairing of an Oliver Anthony and an Alvin Lee lead an epiphany of perception for a successful recovery from the Helene disaster?
Thomas Mabry – Honey Badger Images
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I think your homeless problem is more of a deterrent. I would hesitate going back.
The homeless situation in Asheville has been an issue for years as so in many other regional hubs in the United States. The gist of the article, though, is the historical context of effective protests in general. Both sides of the political divide were represented in the Hands Off protests. Oliver Anthony didn’t differentiate between Biden and Trump. To him, they’re both Rich Men North of Richmond.
Thank you. Positing the question doesn’t mean that I’m taking a side except to say that I’m surprised that music isn’t taking a more prominent role in the protests which was a driving force for change in the 1960s.
Well said, Margaret Massey-Cox. I am disturbed by the author’s commentary. You addressed it much more tactfully than I might have.
Interesting. I just referenced the Nazi training facility in Tellico Plains. They specialize in training agitators to disrupt these protests. ( https://www.newschannel5.com/news/newschannel-5-investigates/this-isnt-your-granddads-kkk-inside-the-influential-hate-group-thats-expanding-in-tennessee ) They coordinate with other hate groups and showed up at Knoxville’s last Burlesque Show, armed of course, to protest. I don’t think these leftists asking that we all be treated as human beings are driving away tourists. They may be afraid of Nazis though.
The Hands Off protests did not attract Nazis as far as I know.
Food for thought…Those protesters are both local and not local. Many are “tourists”. They bring with them the need for food and lodging. The fact that Asheville, like so many communities, stands together and invites others to stand with them speaks to the spirit of community. Those that attended the recent protests from outside Asheville learned that you are ready for their next visit as a casual visitor.