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Holly Near is an accomplished American singer-songwriter, actress, teacher, and activist, renowned for her significant contributions to folk and protest music and pioneering work in independent record labels.
Holly Near founded Redwood Records, an independent record label established to produce and promote music by 'politically conscious artists from around the world.' She was one of the first women to create an independent record company, paving the way for others in what had been a completely male-dominated industry.
During her long career in folk and protest music, Holly has worked with a wide array of musicians, including Pete Seeger.
During her long career in folk and protest music, Near has worked with a wide array of musicians, including Ronnie Gilbert.
A documentary film titled 'Holly Near: Singing for Our Lives' made by director Jim Brown premiered at the Mill Valley Film Festival, detailing Near's life and work, and aired on the PBS 'American Masters' series in 2019.
Holly Near was born on June 6, 1949, in Ukiah, California, and raised on a ranch in Potter Valley. Her musical journey began early, with her first public performance at eight and an audition for Columbia Records at ten. During her high school years, she performed in musicals and sang with a folk group called the Freedom Singers. After enrolling in the Theatre Arts program at UCLA, she faced vocal chord issues that led to a period of silence and eventually her departure from the university. She then transitioned into working in film and television while also becoming involved with anti-war groups like Another Mother for Peace.
Near’s professional career officially launched in 1969 with an appearance on ‘The Mod Squad,’ followed by roles in shows such as ‘Room 222,’ ‘All in the Family,’ and ‘The Partridge Family.’ She also appeared in films including ‘Angel, Angel, Down We Go,’ ‘Slaughterhouse-Five,’ and ‘Minnie and Moskowitz.’ In 1970, she joined the Broadway musical ‘Hair.’ After the Kent State shootings, she responded with the song ‘It Could Have Been Me,’ released in 1974. In 1971, she joined the FTA (Free The Army) Tour, an anti-Vietnam War roadshow performing for soldiers, organized by Fred Gardner, Jane Fonda, and Donald Sutherland. At 21, she was the youngest member of this troupe.
A significant milestone in Near’s career was founding Redwood Records in 1972, an independent record label dedicated to politically conscious artists. She was one of the first women to establish such a company, though it closed in the mid-1990s due to financial difficulties. Throughout her career, she collaborated with numerous notable musicians, including Ronnie Gilbert, Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, and Joan Baez. Near authored an autobiography, ‘Fire in the Rain, Singer in the Storm,’ in the early 1990s, and later co-wrote a one-woman show based on the book with her sister Timothy. Her song ‘Singing For Our Lives’ has become an anthem for the LGBTQ movement and is featured in the Unitarian Universalist Association’s hymnal. In 2018, a documentary titled ‘Holly Near: Singing for Our Lives’ premiered, detailing her life and work.
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