Music
Ani DiFranco’s music, songwriting and performances are only part of the story of her success as an artist that rings true in the Folk Americana Roots extended family. It’s also the connection to those who have grown up with her and the ongoing conversation she has with her audience. This is the essence of the Folk artist, that engagement with the people, whether in person, or straight from the vinyl or the streaming platform. Ani began her musical journey at the age of 9 in Buffalo, NY. House concerts, open mics, and a caring folk family helped give rise to this GRAMMY winning artist with 20 albums in her archives to date. Through The Righteous Babe Foundation she has supported multiple grassroots cultural and political organizations and causes including abortion, gay and women’s rights to name only a tiny fraction. Ani has recorded with Prince, performed with Cyndi Lauper, and has been covered by Chuck D of Public Enemy. And although her roots are in folk, her collaborative spirit reverberates throughout a diverse musical catalog. She also released in 2019 her memoir No Walls and The Recurring Dream which you can purchase on her website at righteousbabe.com. In this episode of HALLWAYS, Ani talks about being mentored by her folk community at open mics and the importance of pushing that envelope as far as you can. And it was as if Joe Spaulding, our fearless FARHOF leader and CEO of The Boch Center in Boston had whispered in Ani’s ear our mission statement when she emphatically offered… “When it’s the music of the people, the people have something to say!”